Calcific aortic valve disease: cellular origins of valve calcification.

摘要

Calcific aortic valve disease is the most common indication for surgical valve replacement in the world. For years this disease was thought to be a passive degenerative phenomenon. Understanding of the cellular mechanisms of this valve lesion will present new cellular therapeutic options to slow disease progression. In this study by Egan et al, they identify for the first time in human calcifying aortic valves a population of circulating osteogenic precursor cells (COP) in calcified human aortic valves.