title: Circulating endothelial-like cells in arterial peripheral blood of hypercholesterolemic rabbits.
abstract: In blood smears obtained from the central ear artery of rabbits after 7 days of cholesterol-rich diet, a high number of well staining cells, morphologically very similar to endothelial cells may be found. After 15 days, macrophage-like cells are found in the smears together with degenerated (endothelial or macrophagic) cells. The presence of circulating endothelial cells is in agreement with the findings of de-endothelialized areas of aortic intima observed at scanning and transmission electron microscopy in short term hypercholesterolemic rabbits.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000009:adverse effects; D004727:Endothelium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary