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Updated: Apr 15, 2026
Isolation of Mouse Interstitial Valve Cells to Study the Calcification of the Aortic Valve In Vitro
Published on: May 10, 2021
A novel in-vitro model of human aortic valve mineralization
Background And Aim Of The Study:
The study aim was to develop an in-vitro model of human aortic valve homograft (AVH) mineralization, as a basis for further research on the subject of calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD).
Methods:
Human aortic valves were excised during autopsy (12-24 h post-mortem) from donors who had died due to accident or suicide. The mean (±SD) donor age was 32.5 ± 11.4 years. Under sterile conditions each aortic cusp (three cusps per valve) was cut in half to provide a total of 240 tissue samples. AVH mineralization was assessed in solutions with different Ca and P concentrations and CaxPO4 ionic product values. The impact of time on aortic valve mineralization rate was assessed using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF).
Results:
The model showed that human AVH mineralization can be best observed in a solution with a CaxPO4 ionic product of 2.2 mmol2/l2. The optimum incubation time for observing AVH mineralization was 21 days.
Conclusion:
A novel in-vitro AVH mineralization model was developed for use in future studies.
