a material such as stainless steel or a shape memory material, is preloaded such that once tissue 1830 is positioned in a gap 1810 between a tine 1806 and a time 1808, clip element 1800 may return to a state which causes tissue 1830 to be pinched within a gap or space 1810. [0143] Tine 1806 and tine 1808 first pierce tissue 1830, e.g., the tissue of an annulus of a mitral valve.