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Updated: Dec 26, 2025

Isolation of Macrophage Subsets and Stromal Cells from Human and Mouse Myocardial Specimens
Published on: December 17, 2019
Macrophage lineages in heart valve development and disease
Andrew J Kim1, Na Xu1, Katherine E Yutzey1
1Division of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology, The Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 240 Albert Sabin Way, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
Abstract:
Heterogeneous macrophage lineages are present in the aortic and mitral valves of the heart during development and disease. These populations include resident macrophages of embryonic origins and recruited monocyte-derived macrophages prevalent in disease. Soon after birth, macrophages from haematopoietic lineages are recruited to the heart valves, and bone marrow transplantation studies in mice demonstrate that haematopoietic-derived macrophages continue to invest adult valves. During myxomatous heart valve disease, monocyte-derived macrophages are recruited to the heart valves and they contribute to valve degeneration in a mouse model of Marfan syndrome. Here, we review recent studies of macrophage lineages in heart valve development and disease with discussion of clinical significance and therapeutic applications.
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Heart Valves
The AV valves prevent the backflow of blood from the ventricles to the atria during ventricular contraction. These valves function with the assistance of the chordae tendineae and papillary muscles. When the ventricles are relaxed, the chordae tendineae are slack, allowing blood to flow from the atria into the...

