You are correct, MattLB. I meant to say inside arteries - interstitial space, not inside
individual cells.
MattLB posted:
"While it's certainly true that cholesterol doesn't clog up the arteries like limescale clogs up
water pipes, atherosclerosis *doesn't* occur in cells. The initial oxidised fatty deposits that
start the process off occur in the extracellular spaces in the artery wall, between the
endothelial and smooth muscle cells. White blood cells invade the artery wall to attack the fatty
deposits and end up making it worse. A combination of increasing deposit of oxidised fat and
smooth muscle cell proliferation follows, which causes a bulge in the artery wall that reduces the
diameter of the artery."