title: A novel in-vitro model of human aortic valve mineralization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study aim was to develop an in-vitro model of human aortic valve homograft (AVH) mineralization, as a basis for further research on the subject of calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Human aortic valves were excised during autopsy (12-24 h post-mortem) from donors who had died due to accident or suicide. The mean (±SD) donor age was 32.5 ± 11.4 years. Under sterile conditions each aortic cusp (three cusps per valve) was cut in half to provide a total of 240 tissue samples. AVH mineralization was assessed in solutions with different Ca and P concentrations and CaxPO4 ionic product values. The impact of time on aortic valve mineralization rate was assessed using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The model showed that human AVH mineralization can be best observed in a solution with a CaxPO4 ionic product of 2.2 mmol2/l2. The optimum incubation time for observing AVH mineralization was 21 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A novel in-vitro AVH mineralization model was developed for use in future studies.
authors: Grzegorz
authors: G
authors: Goncerz
authors: Krzysztof A
authors: KA
authors: Tomaszewski
authors: Artur
authors: A
authors: Pasternak
authors: Roman
authors: R
authors: Głowacki
authors: Andrzej
authors: A
authors: Wróbel
authors: Eugeniusz
authors: E
authors: Rokita
authors: Piotr
authors: P
authors: Podolec
mesh_terms: D064591:Allografts; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology*; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000473:pathology*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000473:pathology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003470:Culture Media; D006801:Humans; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission
chemical_list: D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D003470:Culture Media; D010758:Phosphorus; C020243:calcium phosphate; D002118:Calcium