title: A comparative study of clinically well-characterized human atherosclerotic plaques with histological, chemical, and ultrastructural methods.
abstract: Atherosclerotic plaques (six cases) with well-documented clinical history were analysed using histology, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy (IR), thermogravimetry (TG), and high-resolution synchrotron X-ray diffraction. All samples contained about 60-70 wt% biological carbonated apatite (in dry state) in a nanocrystalline form with particle sizes of about 20 nm. Structurally, there are strong similarities to bone mineral. Ultrastructural investigations documented typical calcospherites, mineralisation processes starting at collagen fibrils and ring-shaped crystalline mineralised structures. There were no significant ultrastructural or chemical differences between the calcifications of individual patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitaetsstr. 5-7, D-45111 Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Epple
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Schmitz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008875:Middle Aged; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D017356:Synchrotrons; D013818:Thermogravimetry; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction