Dissociated cells from different layers of adult human aortic wall.

Cells isolated from a fixed adult human aorta by alcoholic-alkaline dissociation retain their intrinsic shape. They are represented by four major morphological types: stellate, elongated, elongated with side processes, and irregularly shaped cells. All the four types of cells were found in the elastic-hyperplastic intimal sublayer ; elongated and irregularly shaped cells were mainly observed in the musculoelastic sublayer and in the media. Cell density in the atherosclerotic lesion is higher than normal, the number of stellate cells being increased more substantially compared to other cell types. The origin of stellate cells and other morphological cell types, and reasons for their disproportionate accumulation in the atherosclerotic intima are discussed.