This popular science article takes a look at efforts to develop nanoparticles capable of reducing the size of plaques in blood vessels produced by the processes of atherosclerosis. These plaques narrow and deform blood vessels, ultimately breaking apart to cause blockages and ruptures of blood vessels that are often fatal. Atherosclerosis is caused at root by damaged lipids that enter the circulation and lodge in blood vessel tissue. This is followed by an unfortunate set of self-reinforcing signals sent by cells in the blood vessel wall and then by immune cells that turn up to try to deal with the problem. When immune cells become overwhelmed by ingesting damaged lipids, their destruction produces yet more debris, and plaques consisting of lipids and dead cells grow.
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