Subject-specific multiscale modeling of aortic valve biomechanics

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Computational Biology
• Cardiovascular Research

Background:

• Understanding aortic valve interstitial cell biomechanics is crucial for comprehending valve function and disease.
• Previous studies often lacked multiscale analysis, limiting insight into how organ-level anatomy affects cellular mechanics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and apply a multiscale Finite Element workflow for analyzing aortic valve biomechanics.
• To describe the biomechanical environment of aortic valve interstitial cells under physiological conditions.
• To capture the influence of subject-specific and leaflet-specific anatomical features from organ to cell scales.

Main Methods:

• Developed a Finite Element workflow for multiscale analysis of aortic valve biomechanics.
• Employed a mixed approach to transfer organ-scale displacement and stress data to tissue and cell scales.
• Applied the model to three physiological anatomies, analyzing strains and stresses at different length scales.

Main Results:

• Radial leaflet strains correlated with leaflet extent variability at the organ scale.
• Circumferential leaflet strains showed a narrow range, independent of leaflet extent.
• Cellular strains, particularly radial, showed strong correlation with organ-level radial strain, while circumferential cell strains did not correlate with organ-level circumferential strain.

Conclusions:

• Aortic valve leaflet biomechanics are dependent on leaflet-specific anatomy across all scales, from organ to cell.
• The multiscale simulation framework provides insights into the effects of anatomical features on leaflet structural mechanics down to the cellular level.
• Subject-specific anatomical features significantly influence the biomechanical milieu of aortic valve interstitial cells.