The Lymphatic System in Health and Disease

Abstract

The lymphatic vascular system has an important role in the regulation of tissue pressure, immune surveillance and the absorption of dietary fat in the intestine. There is growing evidence that the lymphatic system also contributes to a number of diseases, such as lymphedema, cancer metastasis and different inflammatory disorders. The discovery of various molecular markers allowing the distinction of blood and lymphatic vessels, together with the availability of a increasing number of in vitro and in vivo models to study various aspects of lymphatic biology, has enabled tremendous progress in research into the development and function of the lymphatic system. This review discusses recent advances in our understanding of the embryonic development of the lymphatic vasculature, the molecular mechanisms mediating lymphangiogenesis in the adult, the role of lymphangiogenesis in chronic inflammation and lymphatic cancer metastasis, and the emerging importance of the lymphatic vasculature as a therapeutic target.

Apolipoprotein A‐I Modulates Atherosclerosis Through Lymphatic Vessel‐Dependent Mechanisms in Mice

“…Sequentially, ultrafiltrates from peripheral tissues are absorbed by initial lymphatics (also called lymphatic capillaries), a highly permeable and specialized compartment constituted by discontinuous “button‐like” junctions between endothelial cells 2. These initial lymphatics are characterized by the absence of smooth muscle cells and the presence of lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor (LYVE‐1) at the surface of lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) 3. Following its absorption, lymph moves on to converge into larger vessels called collecting lymphatic vessels that are partially covered with smooth muscle cells, and characterized by the expression of podoplanin 4.…”

Visualization of embryonic lymphangiogenesis advances the use of the zebrafish model for research in cancer and lymphatic pathologies

“…The lymphatics are involved in disease processes, including lymphedema, inflammation, obesity, and tumor spread (Stacker et al, 2002;Cueni and Detmar, 2008). The trafficking of tumor cells to regional lymph nodes through lymphatic vessels initiates metastasis for several tumor types (Cueni and Detmar, 2008;Mumprecht and Detmar, 2009).…”

Monocyte-derived Wnt5a regulates inflammatory lymphangiogenesis

“…Lymphatic research signifies a field of explosive discovery in recent years [1][2][3]. The lymphatic network penetrates most tissues in the body and its dysfunction has been found in a broad spectrum of disorders from inflammation to cancer metastasis and transplant rejection.…”