Lipid-loaded macrophages accumulate in the sub-intimal and intimal spaces of large vessels in children, teenagers, and young adults, initiating the atherosclerotic process.

“careful studies that have really looked at vascular tissues in children and teenagers and young adults on the way up you basically see lipid-loaded macrophages accumulating in the sub-intominal space in the intimal space in the large vessels before you start seeing some of the more complex features of infiltration of other leukocytes and extracellular Matrix and all the stuff that ultimately comes the complex atherosclerotic plaque”