[The cellular-molecular aspects of experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits. The characteristics of the development of initial atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta].

Early stages of experimental cholesterol-induced atherosclerosis of the aorta are studied in 110 rabbits with the use of histo- and electron microscopic radioautography (3H-thymidine, 3H-prolin, 14C-oxyproline and others). A close association between accumulation in the aortic intima of apo-B-containing lipoproteins, cell proliferation and collagen synthesis is shown. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of cell proliferation in the atherogenic foci are presented. New data on desmoplastic reactions to lipoprotein deposition are given.