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SUMMARY:Heart valve tissue engineering - Professor Frank Baaijens\, Eindho
 ven University of Technology
DTSTART:20130201T143000Z
DTEND:20130201T153000Z
UID:TALK42908@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Ms Helen Gardner
DESCRIPTION:Tissue engineered heart valves appear promising as autologous 
 valvular substitutes that may have the ability to grow and remodel. From a
  mechanical point of view\, the in vivo functionality and durability of th
 e heart valve relies on the strength and anisotropic properties of the val
 ve leaflets. In a mature heart valve\, a distinct anisotropic collagen arc
 hitecture enables flexibility of the valve leaflets in the radial directio
 n\, and creates the required strength in the circumferential direction. On
 e of the challenges in heart valve tissue engineering is to mimic this ani
 sotropic collagen structure in terms of collagen amount\, collagen orienta
 tion and intrinsic properties of the collagen fibers. Mechanical stimulati
 on has been shown to influence collagen synthesis\, accumulation and organ
 ization. In a sequence of experiments the effect of mechanical loading on 
 the synthesis and orientation of collagen as well as the structural proper
 ties of the collagen is investigated (1)\, (2)\, (3)\, (4)\, (5). This has
  resulted in a new bioreactor culture paradigm that yields heart valves wi
 th sufficient strength for implantation at the aortic position(6). Preclin
 ical experiments in a sheep model\, using a minimally invasive transapical
  approach\, yields promising results(7).\nYet\, the precise mechanism of c
 ollagen orientation\, as well as contractile force development when subjec
 t to static and dynamic loads is not fully understood. To further understa
 nding of this mechanism microtissues (8) may be applied that can be visual
 ized using multiphoton confocal microscopy. In addition\, computational mo
 dels are developed to analyse the development of cytoskeletal orientation 
 and cellular traction forces in three-dimensional tissues. Comparisons wit
 h experimental results are made.\n\n\n1.	M. P. Rubbens et al.\, Ann Biomed
  Eng 37\, 1263 (2009).\n2.	R. A. Boerboom et al.\, Ann Biomed Eng 36\, 244
  (2008).\n3.	A. Balguid et al.\, Tissue Eng 13\, 1501 (2007).\n4.	A. Balgu
 id et al.\, Circulation 119\, 290 (2009).\n5.	F. Baaijens et al.\, J Biome
 ch 43\, 166 (2010).\n6.	A. Mol et al.\, Circulation 114\, I152 (2006).\n7.
 	D. Schmidt et al.\, J Am Coll Cardiol 56\, 510 (2010).\n8.      J. Foolen
  et al.\, Biomaterials 33\, 7508 (2012).\n
LOCATION:Cambridge University Engineering Department\, LR4
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