Question

Describe the development of an atherosclerotic plaque according to the Response to Injury Hypothesis. Include the initial injury. Use BULLET POINTS for the steps in development.

Answer 1

The response to injury

The response to injury hypothesis mainly states that the initial event in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is the injury to endothelium.A variety of IA' s produce an inflammatory response in which leucocytes, primarily monocytes migrate to the area of injury.Then the result will be retention and oxidation of lipoproteins and transformation of monocytes,into macrophages that ingest lipid, particularly oxidized low density lipoproteins.These form the fatty streak that is an early objective sign of atherosclerosis.The main point is that the theory are the precise nature of IA and the sequence of events that lead to retention of lipid.

The five steps include

• Endothelial dysfunction
• Formation of lipid layer or fatty streak within the intima
• Migration of leucocytes and smooth muscle cells into the vessel wall
• Foam cell formation
• Degradation of extracellular matrix