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Development of the lymphatic vascular system: A mystery unravels
Author(s) -
Hong YoungKwon,
Shin Jay W.,
Detmar Michael
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
developmental dynamics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.634
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1097-0177
pISSN - 1058-8388
DOI - 10.1002/dvdy.20179
Subject(s) - lymphatic system , biology , lymphatic endothelium , lymphangiogenesis , lymphedema , immune system , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , genetics , cancer , breast cancer , metastasis
The blood vascular and the lymphatic system play complementary roles in tissue perfusion and fluid reabsorption. Despite its critical role in mediating tissue fluid homeostasis, intestinal lipid absorption, and the immune response, the lymphatic system has not received as much attention as the blood vascular system, largely due to a lack of lymphatic‐specific markers and to the dearth of knowledge about the molecular regulation of lymphatic development and function. A series of recent landmark studies now significantly has advanced our understanding of the lymphatic system. Based upon the discovery and characterization of lymphatic‐specific growth factors, receptors, and transcriptional regulators, the mystery of lymphatic vascular system development begins to be unraveled. The successful isolation and cultivation of blood vascular and lymphatic endothelial cells has enabled comparative molecular and cellular analyses of these two genetically and developmentally closely related cell lineages. Moreover, studies of several genetic mouse models have set the framework for a new molecular model of embryonic lymphatic vascular development and have identified molecular pathways whose mutational inactivation leads to human diseases associated with lymphedema. Although these rapid advances already have led to development of the first lymphatic‐targeted molecular therapies, there still remain many unanswered questions regarding almost every aspect of lymphatic vascular biology, making the lymphatic system a highly exciting and rewarding field of study. Developmental Dynamics 231:462–473, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.