Intimal pericytes as the second line of immune defence in atherosclerosis

Figure 2 Scheme showing the roles of arterial wall cells in atherogenesis. Several types of arterial wall cells participate in lipid accumulation and foam cell formation. Macrophages and intimal pericytes accumulate lipids through phagocytosis and participate in the local inflammatory process secreting pro-inflammatory cytokines. Dendritic cells, together with macrophages and intimal pericytes express antigen-presenting complexes, further promoting the inflammatory process.