Foam cells are fat-laden cells with a M2 macrophage-like phenotype. They contain low density lipoproteins (LDL) and can be rapidly detected by examining a fatty plaque under a microscope after it is removed from the body.[4] They are named because the lipoproteins give the cell a foamy appearance.[5]
Despite the connection with cardiovascular diseases they might not be inherently dangerous.[6]
^Pryma CS, Ortega C, Dubland JA, Francis GA (April 2019). "Pathways of smooth muscle foam cell formation in atherosclerosis". Current Opinion in Lipidology. 30 (2): 117–124. doi:10.1097/MOL.0000000000000574. PMID30664015. S2CID58633787.