Ageing changes in human heart valves.

Telocytes in human heart valves

Valve interstitial cells (VICs) are responsible for maintaining the structural integrity and dynamic behaviour of the valve. Telocytes (TCs), a peculiar type of interstitial cells, have been recently identified by Popescu's group in epicardium, myocardium and endocardium (visit www.telocytes.com). The presence of TCs has been identified in atria, ventricles and many other tissues and organ, but...

Age-Related Changes in Mechanical Properties in Porcine Heart Valves

Mechanical and bioprosthetic valves work relatively well in adults, but have complications in children. Even if the complications could be resolved, neither of these valve replacements can grow with the child, which a tissue engineered heart valve (TEHV) is expected to do. Recent studies in valve structure and composition showed significant agerelated changes. This indicates that there are like...

Predicting age-dependent changes in human native heart valves due to growth and remodeling

One of the hallmarks of living tissues is their ability to adapt in response to changes in their environment in order to maintain a mechanical homeostasis [1]. This homeostasis is maintained by tissue growth and remodeling, where the former can be defined as a net increase in tissue mass and the latter as architectural changes. In this study, a computational model, based on experimental finding...

stress echocardiography in prosthetic heart valves

Preface: Heart valves.

Reference to this organ, which perhaps was not commonplace in the scientific literature 15 years ago, has become exceedingly prevalent in the past 5 years. The field of heart valve research has become contemporary due to a heightened awareness of the seriousness and frequency of heart valve disease. Indeed, valve therapies are still extremely limited for patients above the age of 75 or less tha...