Lymphangiogenesis and Lymphangiogenic Growth Factors

The lymphatic system consists of lymph nodes, spleen, thy-mus, bone marrow, digestive system lymphatic tissue, and lymphatic vasculature. The main functions of the lymphatic system are production of immune cells, collection, and transportation of extravasated fluid and macromolecules fromperipheral tissues, filtering lymphatic fluid, and removal of foreign material.1 The lymphatic capillaries in the periph-eral tissues merge with larger collecting lymphatic vessels, specialized for the transport of large volumes of lymph, that in turn connect with chains of lymph nodes.1 Lymphatic vessels are typically found in all vascularized tissues, with the notable exception of bone marrow and the central nervous system.2 From an immunological point of view, lymph nodes are strategically positioned patrol stations for antigens from peripheral tissues.3 Naïve lymphocytes circu