CX3CR1 and atherosclerosis: The association between FKN/CX3CL1 and the infiltration of the vessel wall by immune cells has also been supported by recent studies in mice, where deletion of the CX3CR1 gene (CX3CR1−/− mice) or use of a CX3CR1 inhibitor led to a significant reduction in macrophage infiltration and, consequently, less advanced atherosclerosis [102,105,120].