Biomechanical factors in the biology of aortic wall and aortic valve diseases
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Aug. 1, 2024, 10:46 a.m.
The stress and strain exerted on the aorta and the aortic valve induce changes directly sensed by the structural cells, and also alter the ECM, both contributing to structural alterations. Associated pathologies, such as aortic aneurysms and aortic stenosis, may result from either an enhanced intrinsic propensity of the arterial wall to dilate in response to normal biomechanics (Marfan, bicuspid valve), or as a result of pathologic biomechanical load in a given arterial segment. Several disease-specific pathophysiological processes directly depend on biomechanical factors, such as macromolecule transport, gene expression alterations, cell death pathways, calcification, inflammation, and neoangiogenesis.