Morphological and Chemical Study of Pathological Deposits in Human Aortic and Mitral Valve Stenosis: A Biomineralogical Contribution

Figure 8

SEM analysis of pathological biomineralization morphology. (a) Agglomeration of variably sized (micrometer range) calcified nanoparticles, indicated by the arrows (12000x, mitral valve sample). (b) Agglomeration of spherical calcified nanoparticles in a framework of organic filaments (bicuspid aortic valve sample), formed by extracellular matrix proteins. (c) Magnified view (25000x) of individual spherical nanoparticle along a mineralized filament, indicated by the arrow (mitral valve sample). (d) Agglomeration of spherical calcified nanoparticles in the nanometer range at 40000x; the smallest measured nanoparticle was 262.7 nm in diameter (bicuspid aortic valve sample).

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