Fibers to Organs: How Collagen Fiber Properties Modulate the Closing Behavior of the Mitral Valve

Abstract

We developed a micro- and macro anatomically accurate MV finite element model by incorporating actual fiber microstructural architecture and a realistic structure-based constitutive model. Comparative and parametric studies were conducted to identify essential model fidelity and information for achieving desirable accuracy. More importantly, for the first time, the interrelationship between the local fiber ensemble behavior and the organ-level MV closing behavior was investigated using a computational simulation. These novel results indicated not only the appropriate parameter ranges, but also the importance of the microstructural tuning (i.e., straightening and reorientation) of the collagen/elastin fiber networks at the microscopic tissue level for facilitating the proper coaptation and natural functioning of the MV apparatus under physiological loading at the organ level. The proposed computational model would serve as a logical first step toward our long-term modeling goal—facilitating simulation-guided design of optimal surgical repair strategies for treating diseased MVs with significantly enhanced durability.