Cardiovascular disease caused by atherosclerosis is the leading cause of death in the
developed world. Narrowing of the vessel lumen, due to atherosclerotic plaque development
or the rupturing of established plaques, interrupts normal blood flow leading to various
morbidities such as myocardial infarction and stroke. In the clinic endovascular procedures
such as angioplasty are commonly performed to reopen the lumen. However, these
treatments inevitably damage the vessel wall as well as the vascular endothelium, triggering …