Abstract
The density of intramembrane particles (IMP) of the arterial smooth muscle cell (SMC) plasmalemma was studied by feeze-fracture methods in rabbits fed an atherogenic diet. After 3 weeks of diet, no change in the IMP E face density was observed but the IMPS of the P face decreased by about 50%. Among the various functions of IMPs, they are also believed to be responsible for mechanical adhesion between adjacent cells and cell-cell interactions. That is why the modification of their frequency observed in this study may be assumed to induce the non-recognition of SMC between each other. Thus, they become free from each other and migrate into the subendothelial space. This is one of the important initial conditions leading to atherosclerosis. Therefore, by this freeze-fracture study, our hypothesis about the involvement of SMC in the earlier stages of atherogenesis is confirmed.
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