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Structure function relationships in the lymphatic system and implications for cancer biology

Witte, MH ; Jones, K ; Wilting, J ; Dictor, Michael LU ; Selg, Manuel LU ; McHale, N ; Gershenwald, JE and Jackson, DG (2006) In Cancer and Metastasis Reviews 25(2). p.159-184
Abstract
The lymphatic system, composed of lymphatic vessels, lymph, lymph nodes, and lymphocytes, is a distinctive vasculature (discontinuous basement membrane, open endothelial junctions, anchoring filaments, valves, and intrinsic contractility), different yet similar to the blood vasculature; an integral component of the plasma-tissue fluid-lymph circulation (the "blood-lymph loop"); and the center of the immunoregulatory network. Lymphatics are involved in diverse developmental, growth, repair, and pathologic processes both analogous to and distinct from those affecting the blood vasculature. Interference with the blood-lymph loop produces swelling [an imbalance between lymph formation (regulated by Starling's law of transcapillary fluid... (More)
The lymphatic system, composed of lymphatic vessels, lymph, lymph nodes, and lymphocytes, is a distinctive vasculature (discontinuous basement membrane, open endothelial junctions, anchoring filaments, valves, and intrinsic contractility), different yet similar to the blood vasculature; an integral component of the plasma-tissue fluid-lymph circulation (the "blood-lymph loop"); and the center of the immunoregulatory network. Lymphatics are involved in diverse developmental, growth, repair, and pathologic processes both analogous to and distinct from those affecting the blood vasculature. Interference with the blood-lymph loop produces swelling [an imbalance between lymph formation (regulated by Starling's law of transcapillary fluid exchange) and lymph absorption], scarring, nutritional and immunodysregulatory disorders, as well as disturbances in lymph(hem)angiogenesis (lymphedema-angiodysplasia syndromes). The lymphatic system is also the stage on which key events during cancer development and progression are played out, and historically, also forms the basis for current evaluation, prognostication, and/or both operative and non-operative treatment of most cancers. Recent advances in molecular lymphology (e.g., discovery of lymphatic growth factors, endothelial receptors, transcription factors, genes, and highly specific immunohistochemical markers) and growing interest in lymphangiogenesis, combined with fresh insights and refined tools in clinical lymphology, including non-invasive lymphatic imaging, are opening up a window for translation to the clinical arena. Therefore, in cancer biology, attention to the multifaceted structure-function relationships within this vast, relatively unexplored system is long overdue. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
sentinel nodes, endothelium, lymphatic, lymphatic contractility, stem cells, lymphatic embryology, metastasis, cancer biology, lymphatic system, structure-function, lymphatic markers, tumor lymphangiogenesis
in
Cancer and Metastasis Reviews
volume
25
issue
2
pages
159 - 184
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • wos:000238268800002
  • pmid:16770531
  • scopus:33745070553
  • pmid:16770531
ISSN
0167-7659
DOI
10.1007/s10555-006-8496-2
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Pathology, (Lund) (013030000)
id
86f91d65-9dd9-4045-a998-443b87837ce2 (old id 406236)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:46:17
date last changed
2022-03-05 06:14:00
@article{86f91d65-9dd9-4045-a998-443b87837ce2,
  abstract     = {{The lymphatic system, composed of lymphatic vessels, lymph, lymph nodes, and lymphocytes, is a distinctive vasculature (discontinuous basement membrane, open endothelial junctions, anchoring filaments, valves, and intrinsic contractility), different yet similar to the blood vasculature; an integral component of the plasma-tissue fluid-lymph circulation (the "blood-lymph loop"); and the center of the immunoregulatory network. Lymphatics are involved in diverse developmental, growth, repair, and pathologic processes both analogous to and distinct from those affecting the blood vasculature. Interference with the blood-lymph loop produces swelling [an imbalance between lymph formation (regulated by Starling's law of transcapillary fluid exchange) and lymph absorption], scarring, nutritional and immunodysregulatory disorders, as well as disturbances in lymph(hem)angiogenesis (lymphedema-angiodysplasia syndromes). The lymphatic system is also the stage on which key events during cancer development and progression are played out, and historically, also forms the basis for current evaluation, prognostication, and/or both operative and non-operative treatment of most cancers. Recent advances in molecular lymphology (e.g., discovery of lymphatic growth factors, endothelial receptors, transcription factors, genes, and highly specific immunohistochemical markers) and growing interest in lymphangiogenesis, combined with fresh insights and refined tools in clinical lymphology, including non-invasive lymphatic imaging, are opening up a window for translation to the clinical arena. Therefore, in cancer biology, attention to the multifaceted structure-function relationships within this vast, relatively unexplored system is long overdue.}},
  author       = {{Witte, MH and Jones, K and Wilting, J and Dictor, Michael and Selg, Manuel and McHale, N and Gershenwald, JE and Jackson, DG}},
  issn         = {{0167-7659}},
  keywords     = {{sentinel nodes; endothelium; lymphatic; lymphatic contractility; stem cells; lymphatic embryology; metastasis; cancer biology; lymphatic system; structure-function; lymphatic markers; tumor lymphangiogenesis}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{159--184}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Cancer and Metastasis Reviews}},
  title        = {{Structure function relationships in the lymphatic system and implications for cancer biology}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10555-006-8496-2}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10555-006-8496-2}},
  volume       = {{25}},
  year         = {{2006}},
}