Georgia Zarkada, Xun Chen, Xuetong Zhou, Martin Lange, Lei Zeng, Wenyu Lv, Xuan Zhang, Yunhua Li, Weibin Zhou, Keli Liu, Dongying Chen, Nicolas Ricard, James Liao, Young-Bum Kim, Rui Benedito, Lena Claesson-Welsh, Kari Alitalo, Michael Simons, Rong Ju, Xuri Li, Anne Eichmann, Feng Zhang
BACKGROUND: Lymphatic vessels are responsible for tissue drainage, and their malfunction is associated with chronic diseases. Lymph uptake occurs via specialized open cell-cell junctions between capillary lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs), whereas closed junctions in collecting LECs prevent lymph leakage. LEC junctions are known to dynamically remodel in development and disease, but how lymphatic permeability is regulated remains poorly understood. METHODS: We used various genetically engineered mouse models in combination with cellular, biochemical, and molecular biology approaches to elucidate the signaling pathways regulating junction morphology and function in lymphatic capillaries...
August 4, 2023: Circulation Research