Atherogenesis on the Chopping Block

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the unfolded protein response (UPR) are now established features of the atherosclerotic plaque. In this issue, Thorp et al. (2009) provide initial insights into the causative relationship between UPR and the atherosclerotic disease process, specifically linking the proapoptotic mediator CHOP to plaque growth and necrosis