Scanning electron microscopic observation of intimal surface of normal and atherosclerotic arteries.

A scanning electron microscopic study was made of the intimal surfaces of human normal and atherosclerotic thoracic aorta and rabbit normal thoracic aorta, and the thoracic aorta of rabbits with cholesterol atherosclerosis with consequential calciphylaxis. In normal human and rabbit arteries the intimal surface is smooth, the endothelial cells are clustered into regular mounds. In arteries affected by atherosclerosis at some sites the regular linear arrangement of endothelial cells disappears and the intimal surface is characterized by irregular protrusions of formations in the shape of scales or plates.