Microscopic Bioimaging Divulges 7‐Ketocholesterol‐Mediated Morphological Alterations, Inflammatory Responses and Dyshomeostasis in the Immune Reactions of Macrophages

7‐ketocholesterol (7KCh), a cytotoxic oxysterol derived from cholesterol oxidation, plays a pivotal role in the progression of lipid‐driven inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis. Among its pathogenic mechanisms, 7KCh is known to trigger oxiapoptophagy, a unique convergence of oxidative stress, apoptosis and autophagy. While macrophages typically serve as key phagocytic cells for clearing lipid debris, exposure to 7KCh disrupts this homeostatic role, contributing instead to dysfunctional foam cell formation. Despite its clinical relevance, the precise morphological and mechanistic effects of 7KCh on macrophages remain insufficiently characterized. In this study, we investigated the impact of 7KCh on IC‐21 macrophages using a comprehensive, multimodal imaging strategy that integrates phase contrast, differential interference contrast (DIC), fluorescence microscopy and quantitative confocal imaging …