Heart valve development, maintenance, and disease: the role of endothelial cells.

摘要: Heart valves are dynamic structures that open and close during the cardiac cycle to maintain unidirectional blood flow throughout life. Insufficient valve function, commonly due congenital malformations leads disruptions in hemodynamics eventual heart failure. Mature leaflets composed of a heterogeneous population interstitial cells stratified extracellular matrix, surrounded by layer endothelial cells. This defined connective tissue "architecture" provides with all necessary biomechanical properties required efficiently function while withstanding constant cyclic shear stress. Valvular (VECs) play essential roles establishing embryonic development important for maintaining lifelong integrity function. In contrast continuous endothelium over surface healthy leaflets, VEC disruption is observed malfunctioning associated pathological processes promote sclerosis calcification. Increasing our understanding VECs disease has lead promising advances cell-based therapies treating disease.