Crystallinity of hydroxyapatite drives myofibroblastic activation and calcification in aortic valves.

ABSTRACT: Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is an inexorably degenerative pathology characterized by progressive calcific lesion formation on the valve leaflets. The interaction of valvular cells in advanced lesion environments is not well understood yet highly relevant as clinically detectable CAVD exhibits calcifications composed of non-stoichiometric hydroxyapatite (HA). In this study, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic imaging was used to spatially analyze mineral properties as a function of disease progression. Crystallinity (size and perfection) increased with increased valve calcification. To study the relationship between crystallinity and cellular behavior in CAVD, valve cells were seeded into 3D mineral-rich collagen gels containing synthetic HA particles, which had varying crysta

SUBMITTER: Richards JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5899951 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature