title: Rates of cycling cells in cryopreserved valvular homograft: a preliminary study.
abstract: Some investigators claim that the viability of cryopreserved human valvular homograft is necessary for the duration of implanted homograft. In this preliminary study, the percentage of cycling cells in cryopreserved valvular homografts was evaluated with the use of monoclonal Ki-67 antibody. Three human aortic valves were harvested from multiorgan donors and cryopreserved. Sections of 5 microm in thickness were stained with monoclonal Ki-67 antibody. The proportion of endothelial cells with Ki-67 positive nuclei was 1.80 +/- 0.20%. No differences in distribution were observed from basal to marginal sites. Few fibroblasts showed Ki-67-immunopositivity (0.10 +/- 0.06%) while the Ki-67 immunostaining was 0.80 +/- 0.20% in myocytes. Our preliminary study shows that cryopreserved valvular homograft cells are not only viable but they also have the potential to replicate. These data can lead to the hypothesis that valvular cells could actively replicate even after implantation, permitting cellular renewal and regeneration of extracellular matrix's components.
authors.affiliation: Approved Regional Tissue Bank, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Milan, Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan, Italy. fabarili@libero.it
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barili
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dainese
authors.forename: Faisal H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Cheema
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dell'Antonio
authors.forename: Veli K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Topkara
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rossoni
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guarino
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Micheli
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Doglioni
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Biglioli
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Polvani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002470:Cell Survival; D015925:Cryopreservation; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006351:Heart Valves / Q000637:transplantation*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D019394:Ki-67 Antigen