Chemical composition and biophysical properties of porcine cardiovascular tissues.

Collagen from the cardiovascular system is extremely resistant to proteolytic digestion, in contrast with the proteoglycans of these connective tissues. In particular this is true for the heart valves, which contain the largest proportion of collagen. The tensile strength of aortic tissue incubated at 37 degrees C declines rapidly unless fixed with aldehydes. Stabilized glutaraldehyde gives rise to the most stable form of cross-link and renders the tissue structurally intact after more than 4 years of incubation at 37 degrees C in physiological solution. Formaldehyde, on the other hand, gives rise to transcient cross-links.