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(Circulation. 2008;118:1864-1880.)
© 2008 American Heart Association, Inc.

Valvular Heart Disease: Changing Concepts in Disease Management

Evolving Concepts of Cardiac Valve Dynamics

The Continuum of Development, Functional Structure, Pathobiology, and Tissue Engineering

Frederick J. Schoen, MD, PhD

From the Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.

Correspondence to Frederick J. Schoen, MD, PhD, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115. E-mail fschoen{at}partners.org

Considerable progress has been made in recent years toward elucidating a conceptual framework that integrates the dynamic functional structure, mechanical properties, and pathobiological behavior of the cardiac valves. This communication reviews the evolving paradigm of a continuum of heart valve structure, function, and pathobiology and explores its implications. Specifically, we discuss (1) the interactions of valve biology and biomechanics (eg, correlations of function with structure at the cell, tissue, and organ levels and mechanical considerations, development, endothelial cell and interstitial cell biology, extracellular matrix biology, homeostasis, and adaptation to environmental change); (2) mechanisms of disease (eg, valve cell and matrix pathobiology in congenital anomalies, aortic valve calcification, and mitral valve prolapse); (3) considerations in replacement and repair (eg, cell/matrix biology of tissue valve substitutes and their degeneration and durability of repairs); and (4) the potential for tissue engineering approaches to therapeutic regeneration of the cardiac valves. Opportunities for research and clinical translation are highlighted.

Key Words: aortic valve • mitral valve • pathology • prosthesis • tissue engineering

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