The Maastricht Acquisition Platform for Studying Mechanisms of Cell-Matrix Crosstalk (MAPEX): An Interdisciplinary and Systems Approach towards Understanding Thoracic Aortic Disease.

ABSTRACT: Current management guidelines for ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms (aTAA) recommend intervention once ascending or sinus diameter reaches 5-5.5 cm or shows a growth rate of >0.5 cm/year estimated from echo/CT/MRI. However, many aTAA dissections (aTAAD) occur in vessels with diameters below the surgical intervention threshold of <55 mm. Moreover, during aTAA repair surgeons observe and experience considerable variations in tissue strength, thickness, and stiffness that appear not fully explained by patient risk factors. To improve the understanding of aTAA pathophysiology, we established a multi-disciplinary research infrastructure: The Maastricht acquisition platform for studying mechanisms of tissue-cell crosstalk (MAPEX). The explicit scientific focus of the platform is on the dynamic

SUBMITTER: Ganizada BH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10452257 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature