Comparative morphology of the internal elastic lamina of cerebral and peripheral arteries.

Background: Atherosclerosis progresses later and with fewer complicated plaques in cerebral arteries than in peripheral arteries. The internal elastic lamina has been proposed to be important for the migration of smooth muscle cells into the intima during intimal thickening and atherosclerosis.

Methods: A total of 280 segments were retrieved from 14 autopsy specimens.