Background
The increase in the prevalence of aortic stenosis due to an aging population has led to an increasing number of surgical aortic valve replacements. Over the past 20 years, there has been a major shift in preference from mechanical to bioprosthetic valves. However, despite efforts, there is still no ”ideal” bioprosthesis. It is crucial to understand the structure, biology, and function of native heart valves to design more intelligent, strong, durable and physiological heart valve tissues.