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The Heterogeneous Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of the Mitral Valve: Implications for Tissue Engineering

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Abstract

There are compelling reasons to develop a tissue-engineered mitral valve, but this endeavor has not received the same attention as tissue engineering strategies for the semilunar valves. Challenges in regenerating a mitral valve include recapitulating the complex heterogeneity in terms of anatomy (differently sized leaflets, numerous chordae), extracellular matrix composition, biomechanical behavior, valvular interstitial cell and endothelial cell phenotypes, and interior vasculature and innervation. It will also be essential to restore the functional relationships between the native mitral valve and left ventricle. A growing amount of information relevant to tissue engineering a mitral valve has been recently collected through investigations of cell mechanobiology and collagen organization. It is hoped that the development of tissue-engineered mitral valves can build on knowledge derived from engineering semilunar valves, but the mitral valve will present its own unique challenges as investigators move toward a first-generation prototype.

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Acknowledgment

K.J. Grande-Allen has received grant support from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. J. Liao has received grant support from the NIH.

Disclosure

Conflicts of interest: K.J. Grande-Allen: has received honoraria from the Methodist Hospital CME program; and has received honoraria and travel expenses from the Georgia Tech/Hilton Head Conference on Valve Biology and Tissue Engineering; J. Liao: none.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, MS 142, Houston, TX, 77005, USA

    K. Jane Grande-Allen

  2. Department of Biological Engineering, Mississippi State University, 130 Creelman Street, Mississippi State, MS, 39762, USA

    Jun Liao

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  1. K. Jane Grande-Allen
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Correspondence to K. Jane Grande-Allen.

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Grande-Allen, K.J., Liao, J. The Heterogeneous Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of the Mitral Valve: Implications for Tissue Engineering. Curr Cardiol Rep 13, 113–120 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11886-010-0161-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11886-010-0161-2

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