Background and aim of the study Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is a progressive
disease starting from mild valvular sclerosis and progressing to severe aortic stenosis (AS)
with calcified valves. The origin of the calcification is proposed to be mesenchymal cells
which have differentiated towards an osteoblastic phenotype. Podoplanin is a glycoprotein
expressed in the endothelium of lymphatic vessels and in osteoblasts and osteocytes,
mesenchymal cells, as well as in many carcinomas and aortic atherosclerotic lesions. In …