The aortoluminal presence of extra-valvular cells (EPCs and DCs) co-localized with inflammatory cells is a novel key feature in aortic valve degeneration.
EPCs and DCs were detected in a large collective of degenerative aortic valves, more frequently in bioprostheses than in native cusps. Aortoluminal presence of these primarily extra-valvular cells co-localized with inflammatory cells is a novel key feature involved in aortic valve degeneration.
Skowasch et al. (2005) studied this question.