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Venous origin of the mammalian lymphatic vasculature
October 01, 2007In the October 1 issue of G&D, Dr. Guillermo Oliver (St. Jude Children's Research Hospital) and colleagues present new evidence to resolve a century-old debate over the origin of the mammalian lymphatic vasculature. Understanding the development of the lymphatic vasculature is integral to understanding its function in both health (mediating immunity and maintaining tissue fluid levels) and disease (lymphedema and spreading tumor metastasis).
The adult mammalian lymphatic vasculature is derived from a few embryonic lymph sacs. The debate has surrounded the cellular origin of the lymphatic vasculature: Does it arise from venous endothelial cells or does it arise in the mesenchyme and then establish venous connection later on in development"
Dr. Oliver and colleagues used genetically modified mice to perform elegant lineage tracing experiments, from which they concluded, quite definitively, that the mammalian lymphatic vasculature is venous-derived.
"Identifying the origin of any specific cell type is critical to understand the basic processes guiding the development of an organ. The detailed characterization of the formation of a normal healthy lymphatic vasculature is central to our efforts to prevent, diagnose, and hopefully cure lymphatic vasculature disorders," explains Dr. Oliver.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
"Identifying the origin of any specific cell type is critical to understand the basic processes guiding the development of an organ. The detailed characterization of the formation of a normal healthy lymphatic vasculature is central to our efforts to prevent, diagnose, and hopefully cure lymphatic vasculature disorders," explains Dr. Oliver.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
St. Jude settles century-old debate on origin of mammalian network of lymphatic vessels
Investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital settled a century-old debate on the origin of the mammalian lymphatic vasculature-the network of vessels and capillaries critical to various essential housekeeping functions in the body. The finding holds the promise for the development of new therapies for lymphatic system disorders, the researchers said.
Defective lymphatic vessels identified as a novel cause of obesity
Leaky lymphatic vessels are the leading cause of the adult onset obesity observed in a laboratory model developed by investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
University of Helsinki to coordinate two large EU research projects
The European Union has granted nearly 25 MEUR to two large-scale interdisciplinary research projects coordinated by the University of Helsinki. The project leaders are professor Raimo Tuominen from the UH's Faculty of Pharmacy and Academy professor Kari Alitalo from UH's Molecular and Cancer Biology Laboratory. Both projects are part of the European Commission's Sixth Framework Programme for Life Sciences, Genomics, and Biotechnology for Health.
Breakthrough in understanding of hereditary disease of lymphatic vessels
(Helsinki, August 22nd) -- A study from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (LICR) Affiliate Center at the University of Helsinki in Finland has shed light on the development of lymphatic vasculature and valves, and may help to develop better treatments for lymphedema. The disease, which results from damaged or absent lymphatic vessels, may be inherited or may be a side-effect of the surgical removal of tumors. Lymphatic vessels normally remove fluid and proteins escaping from blood capillaries into surrounding tissues, and lymphedema is characterized by the disabling swelling of legs, and sometimes arms, that results when the lymphatic vessels are unable to clear the lymph from the ti
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