Making Mobile Leaflets: Biomechanical Forces in Atrioventricular Valve Formation

Atrioventricular valves prevent the backward flow of blood from the ventricles to the atria and are essential for the efficient pumping of blood throughout the body. Errors in development can lead to congenital atrioventricular valve disease. Atrioventricular valve formation is a multi-step process that involves endocardial cushion formation, valve progenitor cell proliferation, valve sinus formation, valve elongation, and extracellular matrix remodeling. Increasing evidence suggests that hemodynamic cues are required across multiple steps. Here, we compare atrioventricular valve formation in different in vivo models and review how biomechanical forces regulate atrioventricular valve formation.