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Figure 1. Mechanisms of atherosclerosis and putative therapeutic targets of stem cells and exosomes. Schematic illustration of the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, highlighting key stages from endothelial dysfunction to advanced plaque formation, and the potential therapeutic mechanisms of stem cells and exosomes including promoting endothelial repair, modulating inflammation, and hindering foam cell formation. Created in BioRender. Yang Z (2025) https://BioRender.com/jun6d4h. LDL: low-density lipoprotein; NETs: neutrophil extracellular traps; oxLDL: oxidized low-density lipoprotein; SR-A1: scavenger receptor class A type 1; T_reg: regulatory T cell; T_H1: helper T cell 1; CD36: cluster of differentiation 36; CD⁴⁺: cluster of differentiation 4 positive; CD⁸⁺: cluster of differentiation 8 positive; ABCA1/ABCG1: ATP-binding cassette transporter A1/ATP-binding cassette transporter G1; VSMC: vascular smooth muscle cell.