an in-depth histopathologic assessment of cardiac remodeling

Remodellation of the heart and vascular tissues is an important basic concept in many research projects. The aim of this PhD thesis is to identify the cellular pathways involved in the remodellation process by performing morphological and immunohistochemical tissue examination. Understanding the composition of the inflammatory infiltrate and other cell types and their differentiation, is crucial to predict the result of the process, being healing. In the development of new cardiovascular devices or in the adaptation of existing devices, histologic insight in the pathways of remodellation is essential to identify the reactions of the cardiac tissue to the device and it's specific design. This way, the device design will be optimal and as a result, tissue damage during implantation, usage, and sometimes also explantation of the device will be minimal. Likewise, understanding the time course and factors involved in fibrogenesis, is important to predict the effect of myocarditis on the heart tissue, since myocardial fibrosis is a strong predictor of cardiac arrythmia and mortality.