Chronic lymphedema results in a mixed inflammatory cell response.

<p><b>A.</b> Photograph of mouse-tails 6 weeks after skin/lymphatic excision (lymphedema; left) or skin incision (control; right). <b>B.</b> Representative cross sectional histology of mouse tails comparing lymphedema (left) and control (right) mice 6 weeks after surgery. Cross sections were obtained 2 centimeters distal to the tail wound (arrow in figure A). Note subcutaneous fat deposition (brackets), dilated lymphatics, and inflammation in lymphedema section. <b>C.</b> Flow cytometry analysis for CD45+ cells in single cell suspensions prepared from tail tissue 2 cm distal to the wound of lymphedema or control mice (n = 5–7/group) 6 weeks after surgery. The percentage of CD45+ cells as a function of total cell population is shown. A representative histogram is shown to the right. <b>D., E.</b> Flow cytometry analysis of T-helper, T-cytotoxic, natural killer T cells (NKT), B cell (Figure D) and neutrophils, monocytes, macrophage, and dendritic cells (Figure E) in single cell suspensions of lymphedematous or control mice (n = 5–7/group) 6 weeks after surgery. Representative dot plots are shown to the right. Oval gates indicate double positive cell populations.