Characterization of foam cells in experimental atherosclerosis.

A series of biochemical and morphological studies has focused on the properties and origins of lipid laden foam cells in experimentally induced atherosclerosis in rabbits. Lipids inclusions present in these cells occupy half or more of the cytoplasmic volume and are of two kinds: cytoplasmic lipid droplets composed predominantly of cholesteryl esters and lysosomes in which substantial quantities of free cholesterol have accumulated. The foam cells exhibit some properties of macrophages but not others. They possess high levels of acid hydrolases and catalase and Fc membrane receptors can be detected on their surface. Only about one third of the foam cells, however, exhibit C3 receptors and few if any of the cells appear to contain or secrete lysozyme.