The anti-proliferative effect of CD45.2 Msr1−/− and Cd36−/− macrophages versus CD45.1 WT macrophages appeared to increase during disease progression; furthermore, whereas changes in chimerism were observed in aortic macrophages in late atherosclerosis, no alteration in chimerism in aortic macrophages was seen in early atherosclerosis. This evidence concerns the gene CD36 and atherosclerosis.