General and Systemic Histopathology, C601&C602
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Spotting the vessels
with the atherosclerosis, narrowed lumens and thrombi should not be to
much of a challenge. Look at how compromised the lumen is even in the absence
of the thrombus. What you see here are multiple serial sections of
the same coronary artery. See this slide with the virtual microscope. |
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Although this condition will be dealt with in detail in various sections of this course, here's a chance for you to study the basic morphology of the plaque for its own sake. This slide is of an elastic artery with a classical atherosclerotic plaque with secondary thrombosis. The plaque is in the sub-intima and is a fairly complex structure. Observe the cholesterol "slits." The cholesterol was "washed out" during the processing of the tissue, leaving behind the little spaces where the deposits had been. As far as problems associated with this disease, a plaque can weaken the wall of an artery, potentially causing a rupture of the vessel; it can cause thrombosis (as it did here) and thereby complete occlusion of the lumen; and it can continue to "grow." What do you think happened to the patient that gave us this slide? |