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Ann Thorac Surg 2003;75:465-466
© 2003 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

Invited commentary

Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of California, San Diego, 200 West Arbor Dr, MC Suite 8892, San Diego, CA 92103-8892, USA

e-mail: pthistlethwaite@ucsd.edu

The first 20% of the full text of this article appears below.

Although cardiac surgeons encounter calcific degenerative aortic valve disease on a frequent basis, little is known about the molecular causes of this disease. The study by Dr Jian and colleagues presents convincing evidence that transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) may be an important piece in the puzzle of the etiology of this disease.

Clues as to the causes of calcific aortic valve degeneration are revealed by pathologic analysis of diseased cusps removed at the time of valve replacement. In normal circumstances, aortic valve leaflets are composed of three principal layers: the ventricularis . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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