Mitral valve leaflet (MV leaflet)

Mitral valve leaflets are two thin, flexible, fibrous tissue flaps (anterior and posterior) that form part of the mitral valve within the heart[1][2][3][5][7][9]. They are responsible for allowing unidirectional blood flow from the left atrium to the left ventricle during diastole and for preventing backflow during systole[1][8][10]. Structurally, the anterior leaflet is larger, thicker, and more trapezoidal, while the posterior leaflet is thinner, more flexible, and often divided into three scallops (P1, P2, P3); corresponding segments exist on the anterior leaflet (A1, A2, A3)[1][3][7][9]. Each leaflet is composed of three histological layers (atrialis, spongiosa, and fibrosa)[2][9]. They are anchored to the mitral annulus and attached by chordae tendineae to papillary muscles, which are critical for their proper function[1][2][5][7][9]. Mitral valve leaflet dysfunction can cause disease states such as mitral valve prolapse, regurgitation, and stenosis, which are important in cardiovascular disease but the leaflets themselves are not direct molecular therapeutic targets[1][2][3][4][6][9].

Other names

anterior mitral leafletposterior mitral leafletMV leaflets