Temporal and spatial expression of collagens during murine atrioventricular heart valve development and maintenance.

Heart valve function is achieved by organization of matrix components including collagens, yet the distribution of collagens in valvular structures is not well defined. Therefore, we examined the temporal and spatial expression of select fibril-, network-, beaded filament-forming, and FACIT collagens in endocardial cushions, remodeling, maturing, and adult murine atrioventricular heart valves. Of the genes examined, col1a1, col2a1, and col3a1 transcripts are most highly expressed in endocardial cushions. Expression of col1a1, col1a2, col2a1, and col3a1 remain high, along with col12a1 in remodeling valves. Maturing neonate valves predominantly express col1a1, col1a2, col3a1, col5a2, col11a1, and col12a1 within defined proximal and distal regions. In adult valves, collagen protein distribution is highly compartmentalized, with ColI and ColXII observed on the ventricular surface and ColIII and ColVa1 detected throughout the leaflets. Together, these expression data identify patterning of collagen types in developing and maintained heart valves, which likely relate to valve structure and function.