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Plaque
* Most plaque causes diseases
  - heart diseases
* Some plaque consists of cell debris
  - plaques grow very slowly and gradually cause the artery to become more narrow
* are clear zones formed in a lawn of cells due to lysis by phage
  - commonly the first indication of cardiovascular disease
  - deposits of cholesterol, other fats and substances such as calcium
  - like pimples
  - most common on the legs, arms, and chest
  - patches of fatty tissue that collect in the arteries and damage artery walls
  - similar to scars forming on skin after an injury
  - thickened areas of the arterial walls that eventually can block the vessel
* attaches to membrane protiens and microfilaments of the cytoskeleton.
* can affect both large and medium sized arteries.
* can also rupture, causing debris to migrate downstream within an artery
  - vary in size and severity, and also in their potential to heal
  - appear anywhere in the central nervous system that has white matter
  - build up in the arteries
  - gum diseases
* change with time, gathering cholesterol and fat, finally becoming atheromas.
* come in various sizes and shapes.
* consists of bacteria, food debris, and saliva.
* form in the brain and cause dementia
  - when the protective myelin sheath is destroyed, a process called demyelination
* increases tooth sensitivity.
* inhibits and obstructs the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart.
* is mixture
  - spots
* mostly contain protein fragments called beta-amyloid peptide.
* poison that kills nerve cells.
* smooth over and shrink, allowing more blood to pass.
* tends to accumulate near the gums, between the teeth, and in pits and fissures of the teeth.
+ Commemorative plaque, United Kingdom
  * In England there is the Blue Plaques scheme. Plaques are put on to buildings to commemorate their links with important people or events. The scheme has been run by English Heritage for over 140 years and is thought to be the oldest of its kind in the world.

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Atherosclerotic plaque
* Some atherosclerotic plaques are relatively stable, and relatively unlikely to cause heart attacks.
* can cause cracks or fissures in the vessel wall.
* cause clinical disease by three mechanisms
  - narrowing of the arteries, and lead to heart attacks and strokes
* continue to grow for many years.
* damages the lining of an artery.
* is formed when damage occurs to the lining of an artery.
* rupture and expose tissue factor-rich plaque contents to blood.

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Dental plaque
* can cause such disorders as gingivitis and pyorrhea
  - have a virulent effect when the immune system is being suppressed
* clear, gelatinous material that allows bacteria to remain on the teeth.
* collects around and between teeth.
* contains the bacterium Actinomyces viscosus.
* contributes to periodontal disease.
* is composed of many substances including oral bacteria and food particles
  - formed when bacteria use our teeth as a place to grow
* is hard to see unless it is stained
  - it's stained
* is one commonly encountered biofilm
  - of the best known examples of a biofilm
  - perhaps the most well known biofilm
  - soft and easily removed by brushing and flossing the teeth
* is the bacterial mass that adheres to and builds up on a tooth surface
  - key etiologic agent in the initiation of gingivitis and periodontal disease
  - primary cause of gingivitis in genetically-susceptible individuals
* sticky substance composed of millions of bacteria.

Fibrous plaque
* begins as changes in the structure of the artery or fatty streaks.
* prevents uniform lengthening as erection occurs.
* represent the majority of atherosclerotic lesions.