This protocol describes the isolation, culture, and calcification of rat-derived valve interstitial cells, a highly physiological in vitro model of calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD). Exploitation of this rat model facilitates CAVD research in exploring the cell and molecular mechanisms that underlie this complex pathological process.
Lin, C., Zhu, D., Markby, G., Corcoran, B. M., Farquharson, C., Macrae, V. E. Isolation and Characterization of Primary Rat Valve Interstitial Cells: A New Model to Study Aortic Valve Calcification. J. Vis. Exp. (129), e56126, doi:10.3791/56126 (2017).