动脉粥样硬化斑块中的泡沫细胞(foam cell)是这种病变中的主要细胞成份。泡沫细胞可来自血管的平滑肌细胞,也可以来自巨噬细胞,也有报告可来自其他血细胞(Trillo 等1982)。一般认为:巨噬细胞可摄取大量胆固醇,转变为胆固醇脂,本身则转变为泡沫细胞。并可用组织化学特徵(如细胞色素过氧化酶等)及免疫形态学的特徵来确定粥样斑块中的泡沫细胞来自巨噬细胞。巨噬细胞可通过吞噬含有胆固醇的细胞或细胞碎片摄取胆固醇,也可通过受体途径将含有胆固醇的脂蛋白 Foam cells in atherosclerotic plaques are the major cellular component of this pathology. Foam cells can be derived from vascular smooth muscle cells, macrophages, and other blood cells (Trillo et al. 1982). Generally believed that: macrophages can absorb large amounts of cholesterol, into cholesterol, itself is transformed into foam cells. And the characteristics of histochemistry (such as cytochrome peroxidase, etc.) and immunomorphological features can be used to determine that the foam cells in atherosclerotic plaques are derived from macrophages. Macrophages can take up cholesterol by phagocytosing cholesterol-containing cells or cellular debris and can also transfer cholesterol-containing lipoproteins