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Updated: Apr 7, 2026
Isolation of Mouse Interstitial Valve Cells to Study the Calcification of the Aortic Valve In Vitro
Published on: May 10, 2021
Is autologous or heterologous pericardium better for valvuloplasty? A comparative study of calcification propensity
Insights
Autologous pericardium demonstrates superior resistance to calcification compared to heterologous pericardium in vivo. This suggests autologous pericardium may offer better long-term durability for valvuloplasty procedures.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Pericardial calcification negatively impacts the durability of valvuloplasty procedures.
- The comparative calcification susceptibility between autologous and heterologous pericardium remains insufficiently understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare the in vivo progression of calcification in autologous versus heterologous pericardium.
Main Methods:
- Rabbits were implanted with autologous (rabbit) and heterologous (bovine) pericardial patches subcutaneously.
- Samples were explanted at 2, 4, and 6 months for analysis.
- Calcium content was measured using atomic-absorption spectroscopy, alongside morphologic and histopathologic examinations.
Main Results:
- Heterologous pericardium exhibited significantly higher calcium levels than autologous pericardium across all time points (P <0.0001 to P <0.0006).
- Calcification in heterologous pericardium progressed more rapidly than in autologous pericardium over time.
- Histopathology revealed disorganized collagen, calculus formation, ossification, and inflammatory infiltration (lymphocytes, macrophages) in heterologous samples.
Conclusions:
- Autologous pericardium possesses a greater inherent resistance to calcification compared to heterologous pericardium.
- These findings suggest autologous pericardium may be a more suitable material for enhancing the long-term durability of valvuloplasty.
Abstract:
Pericardial calcification is detrimental to the long-term durability of valvuloplasty. However, whether calcification susceptibility differs between heterologous and autologous pericardium is unclear. In this study, we compared the progression of calcification in vivo between autologous and heterologous pericardium. We randomly divided 28 rabbits into 4 equal groups. Resected rabbit pericardium served as autologous pericardium, and commercial bovine pericardium served as heterologous pericardium. We subcutaneously embedded one of each pericardial patch in the abdominal walls of 21 of the rabbits. The 7 control rabbits (group A) received no implants. The embedded samples were removed at 2 months in group B, at 4 months in group C, and at 6 months in group D. Each collected sample was divided into 2 parts, one for calcium-content measurement by means of atomic-absorption spectroscopy, and one for morphologic and histopathologic examinations. When compared with the autologous pericardium, calcium levels in the heterologous pericardium were higher in groups B, C, and D (P <0.0001, P <0.0002, and P <0.0006, respectively). As embedding time increased, calcium levels in the heterologous pericardium increased faster than those in the autologous, especially in group D. Disorganized arrangements of collagenous fibers, marked calculus, and ossification were seen in the heterologous pericardium. Inflammatory cells-mainly lymphocytes and small numbers of macrophages-infiltrated the heterologous pericardium. The autologous pericardium showed a stronger ability to resist calcification. Our results indicate that autologous pericardium might be a relatively better choice for valvuloplasty.
