Tissue-engineered heart valve scaffolds.

Since the first heterotopic implanted biological heart valve in 1956 by Murray, many improvements have been made. For allografts, different methods have been evaluated and modified to stabilize and preserve tissue. Xenografts were fixated to cross-link the connective tissue and to overcome immunogenic reactions. Nevertheless, glutaraldehyde fixation leads to structural deterioration, which can be partially reduced by different kinds of antimineralization treatments. Because of preservation and fixation, allografts and xenografts become nonviable bioprostheses with a lack of remodeling, regeneration, and growth. Tissue engineering is a possible key to overcome these disadvantages because it will provide a living tissue with remodeling, regeneration, and growth potential. This overview will issue the key points to provide such a tissue-engineered heart valve by creating a sufficient scaffold where cells can grow, either in vitro or in vivo, and remodel a neoscaffold that will lead to a functional autologous heart valve.