Lymphangiogenesis guidance by paracrine and pericellular factors

  1. Kari Alitalo1
  1. 1Wihuri Research Institute, Translational Cancer Biology Program, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland;
  2. 2Department of Immunology, Genetics, and Pathology, Uppsala University, 75185 Uppsala, Sweden
  1. Corresponding author: kari.alitalo{at}helsinki.fi

Abstract

Lymphatic vessels are important for tissue fluid homeostasis, lipid absorption, and immune cell trafficking and are involved in the pathogenesis of several human diseases. The mechanisms by which the lymphatic vasculature network is formed, remodeled, and adapted to physiological and pathological challenges are controlled by an intricate balance of growth factor and biomechanical cues. These transduce signals for the readjustment of gene expression and lymphatic endothelial migration, proliferation, and differentiation. In this review, we describe several of these cues and how they are integrated for the generation of functional lymphatic vessel networks.

Keywords

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