Phagocytized platelets: a source of lipids in human thrombi and atherosclerotic plaques.

Phagocytosis of lipid-rich platelets by monocytes and the transformation of such cells into lipophages containing fat was observed in human thrombi. The lipophages are similar to lipophages in atherosclerotic plaques. This observation supports the idea that some atherosclerotic plaques are organized mural thrombi.