In the heart aortic valve, maintenance of healthy conditions and transition to diseased conditions are modulated by the cells in the valve. The cells found within the valve leaflets and walls are the valvular interstitial cells (VICs), and those found on the fluid-facing surfaces are the endothelial cells (ECs). Both types of cell are known to respond to their mechanical state; that is, the stresses and deformations imposed on the cell by its surrounding environment. Here, we present a set of simulations to examine the mechanical states of cells as the valve goes through its opening and closing cycle. The simulations span the cell, tissue, and organ length scales. Taken together, these simulations predict the dynamic, three-dimensional mechanical state of VICs and ECs throughout the valve.
