Age-related changes in biomechanical properties of transgenic porcine pulmonary and aortic conduits

The limitations associated with conventional valve prosthesis have led to a search for alternatives. One potential approach is tissue engineering. Most tissue engineering studies have described the biomechanical properties of heart valves derived from adult pigs. However, because one of the factors affecting the function of valve prosthesis after implantation is appropriate sizing for a given patient, it is important to evaluate the usefulness of a heart valve given the donor animal's weight and age. The aim of this study was to evaluate how the age of a pig can influence the biomechanical and hemodynamical properties of porcine heart valve prosthesis after acellularization. Acellular porcine aortic and pulmonary valve conduits were used. Hearts were harvested from animals differing in weight and age. The biomechanical properties of the valves were then characterized using a uniaxial tensile test. Moreover, computer simulations based on the finite element method (FEM) were used to study the influence of biomechanical properties on the hemodynamic conditions. Studying biomechanical and morphological changes in porcine heart valve conduits according to the weight and age of the animals can be valuable for developing age-targeted therapy using tissue engineering techniques.