VWF and atherosclerosis: Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect C1q and vWF in carotid arteries from autopsied patients without microscopic signs of atherosclerosis (healthy autopsy, HA), with macroscopic manifestation of atherosclerosis (diseased autopsy, DA), and with material from thromboendarterectomy procedures (diseased thromboendarterectomy, TE).