Atherosclerosis leading to coronary heart disease and to cerebrovascular disorders is the number one cause of death in industrialized societies. For the last two decades, great ad vances have been made in understanding the pathogenesis of those disorders. Recent studies have revealed that the earliest event in atherogenesis is the adhesion of circulating leukocytes to the vascular endothelial cells and their migration into the subendothelial space. These cells are known to playa central role in the formation of a fatty streak consist ing of lipid-laden foam cells. As pathological events...

The major cause of death in industrialized societies is atherosclerosis, which leads to coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular disorders. Researchers have discovered that the earliest event in atherogenesis is the adhesion of circulating leukocytes to the vascular endothelial cells. The complicated process that follows is being unraveled by intensive studies in molecular biology. The identification of the genes involved has been verified by the creation of novel animal models, which in turn has led to new therapeutic strategies for atherosclerosis. These and other important findings are...