Abstract
The goal of the present study was to develop a procedure for sterilization and infinite preservation of aortic heart valves with maintenance of cell viability. For this purpose the influence of a number of methods of controlled freezing on the viability of the fibroblasts of the aortic valve was tested. Cell viability was assessed quantitatively by the incorporation of [ 3H]-proline by the valve fibroblasts. Controlled freezing at a rate of 1°C/min under protection of 10% dimethylsulfoxide yielded the highest number of viable fibroblasts (88%). This preservation method was also tested for its influence on the structural and functional integrity of the valve matrix, which was found to be preserved throughout sterilization and storage. This study is the first to present quantitative data on cell survival, stress—strain characteristics, and the electronmicroscopic structure of collagenic fibrils after sterilization and controlled freezing of aortic valves.
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