**Author details**

Dena Wiltz, C. Alexander Arevalos, Liezl R. Balaoing, Alicia A. Blancas, Matthew C. Sapp, Xing Zhang and K. Jane Grande-Allen

Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA

#### **References**


[4] Vesely I, Lozon A. Natural preload of aortic valve leaflet components during gluta‐ raldehyde fixation: effects on tissue mechanics. *Journal of Biomechanics*. 1993 Feb;26(2): 121–31.

Intact SPARC protein inhibits cellular proliferation and has anti-angiogenic activity in vitro [123]. However, enzymatic degradation of SPARC can release matricryptic fragments with the KGHK motif that may induce angiogenic activity both *in vitro* and *in vivo* [124]. SPARC has been observed lining blood vessels in early to mid stage calcified valves suggesting the presence of a fully formed basement membrane lining these vessels [125]. However, the presence of the other constituents of the basement membrane is merely speculative at this point as the studies investigating their presence during CAVD have not been completed.

In conclusion, the last several years have witnessed significant acceleration in the number of studies characterizing specific types of extracellular matrix in heart valves, although there is still much to be learned. The basement membrane of heart valves, and its role in regulating valvular endothelial cell function, are particularly understudied. The broad scope of cell-ma‐ trix and matrix-matrix interactions within heart valves, and how these are regulated by the local, dynamic signaling environment, is another subject that merits further investigation. We expect that insights gained from these research endeavors will lead to novel treatments

Dena Wiltz, C. Alexander Arevalos, Liezl R. Balaoing, Alicia A. Blancas, Matthew C. Sapp,

[1] Nemir S, West JL. Synthetic materials in the study of cell response to substrate rigidi‐

[2] Sacks MS, Schoen FJ, Mayer, Jr. JE. Bioengineering challenges for heart valve tissue

[3] Schoen FJ, Levy RJ. Founder's Award, 25th Annual Meeting of the Society for Bioma‐ terials, perspectives. Providence, RI, April 28-May 2, 1999. Tissue heart valves: cur‐ rent challenges and future research perspectives. *Journal of Biomedical Materials*

engineering. *Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering*. 2009 Jan;11:289–313.

Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA

ty. *Annals of Biomedical Engineering*. 2010 Jan;38(1):2–20.

*Research*. 1999 Dec 15;47(4):439–65.

**8. Summary**

20 Calcific Aortic Valve Disease

for valve diseases in the future.

Xing Zhang and K. Jane Grande-Allen

**Author details**

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**Chapter 2**

**Anatomy and Function of**

**Normal Aortic Valvular Complex**

Ioan Tilea, Horatiu Suciu, Brindusa Tilea, Cristina Maria Tatar, Mihaela Ispas and

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

it seems, his anatomical work came to an end. [2]

years the study of the human heart was very sporadic and limited.

Recently, the interest in the anatomy of the normal aortic valve complex has augmented, mostly because of the increasing use of conservative surgical techniques for repairing or re‐ placing cardiac valves. The knowledge of the anatomy also has important implications in

The earliest documented interest in the anatomy of the aortic valvular complex stems from

Leonardo da Vinci had an almost perfect understanding of the physiology of the human heart. But he had no inkling of the circulation of the blood, and the existence of one-way valves was incompatible with the ancient belief that the heart simply churned blood in and out of the ventricles, thus generating heat and 'vital spirit'. Unable to reconcile what he had observed with what he believed to be true, Leonardo reached an impasse. He became trap‐ ped in describing the motion of the blood through the valves in even more detail. And there,

The next anatomist to study the aortic valve was Andreas Vesalius. Then, for almost 400

The 19th century brought in the era of anatomic dissection and the knowledge on the aortic valve grew wider. Henle was the first to introduce the term "arterial root". During the first

and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

© 2013 Tilea et al.; licensee InTech. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use,

© 2013 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution,

distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

the manufacture of prostheses that must conform to this anatomical configuration.

the Renaissance, with the description and drawings by Leonardo da Vinci. [1]

Razvan Constantin Serban

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/53403

**1. Introduction**

**1.1. Historical perspective**

