Abstract
Summary
The content of free and esterified cholesterol, phospholipid, free fatty acid, triglyceride, and calcium of normal, fatty streak, and atherosclerotic plaque was determined in aortas from pigeons with cholesterol-aggravated or naturally occurring atherosclerosis. The concentration of all lipid classes was greater in fatty streak and plaque than in normal tissue. Normal tissue from pigeons with atherosclerosis, although having no grossly visible lesions, had a higher concentration of cholesteryl esters than aortic tissue from pigeons without atherosclerosis. Atherosclerotic plaques from pigeons with cholesterol-aggravated atherosclerosis contained about twice the concentration of cholesteryl esters as plaques from birds with naturally occurring atherosclerosis, even though there was no difference in the content of free cholesterol. Calcium content was greatest in plaques, particularly in the naturally-occurring disease, but never accounted for more than 1% of the lipid free dry weight of the aorta.
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