**10. Lipidosis (intracellular lipid accumulation)**

In grossly normal areas of the intima, lipids are accumulated predominantly in the extracellular space. Initial atherosclerotic lesions are characterized by the presence of cells with lipid inclusions [29]. The proportion of cells with lipid inclusions in uninvolved intima and in atherosclerotic lesions has been determined [66]. Fatty streaks have the highest content of lipidladen cells (up to 25%); these cells are located in the upper part of the proteoglycan-rich layer, comprising approximately two-thirds of it. By contrast, in atherosclerotic plaques, most of the cells with lipid inclusions are located in one-third of the proteoglycan-rich layer adjacent to the internal limiting membrane. In the muscular-elastic layer, the proportion of lipid-laden cells is the highest in atherosclerotic plaques, remaining not higher than 5%. Cells with lipid inclusions were found among all cell types of the aortic intima; however, their proportion among stellate cells reaches 30%, which is considerably higher than that among other cell types.
