# Valve interstitial cells

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**Valve interstitial cells** (VIC), **cardiac valve interstitial cells**, or also known as **valvular interstitial cells** (VICs), are the most prevalent cells in the [heart valve](/source/Heart_valve) leaflets, which are a type of [mesenchymal stem cells](/source/Mesenchymal_stem_cell) (MSCs) and are responsible for maintaining the [extracellular matrix](/source/Extracellular_matrix) that provides the mechanical properties of the heart valve.[1][2]

They are present in all three layers of the heart valve: a) fibrosa, b) spongiosa, c) ventricularis.[3][2]

VICs are found in all three layers of heart valves, while the entire structure is covered by valve endothelial cells (VECs). Each layer has a unique matrix composition: ventricularis is abundant in [elastin](/source/Elastin), spongiosa is rich in [proteoglycans](/source/Proteoglycan), and fibrosa is filled with [collagen](/source/Collagen). During [embryogenesis](/source/Embryogenesis), the [endothelial cells](/source/Endothelial_cells) that cover the primordial valve structures migrate into the underlying matrix and undergo a transformation from endothelial to mesenchymal, becoming the [interstitial cells](/source/Interstitial_cells). Therefore, VICs originate from endothelial cells.[2][4]

## References

1. Taylor, Patricia M; Batten, Puspa; Brand, Nigel J; Thomas, Penny S; Yacoub, Magdi H (2003-02-01). ["The cardiac valve interstitial cell"](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1357272502001000). *The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology*. **35** (2): 113–118. [doi:10.1016/S1357-2725(02)00100-0](https://doi.org/10.1016/S1357-2725(02)00100-0). [ISSN 1357-2725](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1357-2725). [PMID 12479860](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12479860)

1. Rutkovskiy, Arkady; Malashicheva, Anna; Sullivan, Gareth; Bogdanova, Maria; Kostareva, Anna; Stensløkken, Kåre-Olav; Fiane, Arnt; Vaage, Jarle (2017-09-22). "Valve Interstitial Cells: The Key to Understanding the Pathophysiology of Heart Valve Calcification". *Journal of the American Heart Association*. **6** (9). [doi:10.1161/JAHA.117.006339](https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.117.006339). [ISSN 2047-9980](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/2047-9980). [PMC 5634284](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5634284). [PMID 28912209](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28912209)

1. Hinton, Robert B. & Yutzey, Katherine E. (2011). "Heart Valve Structure and Function in Development and Disease". *Annual Review of Physiology*. **73**: 29–46. [doi:10.1146/annurev-physiol-012110-142145](https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-physiol-012110-142145). [ISSN 0066-4278](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0066-4278). [PMC 4209403](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4209403). [PMID 20809794](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20809794)

1. Ground, Marcus; Callon, Karen; Walker, Rob; Milsom, Paget; Cornish, Jillian (2023-09-18), ["Valvular Interstitial Cells: Physiology, Isolation, and Culture"](https://www.intechopen.com/online-first/87889), *Biochemistry*. Vol. 0, IntechOpen, [doi:10.5772/intechopen.112649](https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.112649), retrieved 2024-02-12

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Valve interstitial cells](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valve_interstitial_cells) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valve_interstitial_cells?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.