CXCR4 and atherosclerosis: CXCR4 expression (mRNA, protein) was reported on platelets (Wang et al., 1998; Kowalska et al., 1999) and although platelets lack nuclei and many organelles and are mainly known for their important role in blood coagulation, their impact on immunological and inflammatory responses, in particular atherosclerosis, should not be underestimated (Lievens and Von Hundelshausen, 2011).