Prox1 in Mammalian Lymphangiogenesis

描述（由申请人提供）：在正常情况下，淋巴网络通过从细胞外间隙排出淋巴液，从肠道吸收脂质，并将白细胞和抗原呈递细胞运输到淋巴器官来维持液体稳态。在感染过程中，淋巴血管是免疫反应的主要途径，在癌症中，肿瘤细胞通过淋巴血管迁移到淋巴结和远处器官。淋巴系统的功能障碍可导致先天性或遗传性疾病，如淋巴水肿，这是一种毁容和致残的疾病，是由淋巴吸收不平衡引起的，通常以四肢肿胀为特征。更好地了解控制正常淋巴血管发育的细胞和分子特征，将有助于我们理解导致炎症、自身免疫、癌症和肥胖的病理淋巴状况，并改善原发性和继发性淋巴水肿的临床治疗。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Under normal conditions, the lymphatic network maintains fluid homeostasis by draining lymph fluid from extracellular spaces, absorbs lipids from the intestinal tract, and transports white blood cells and antigen- presenting cells to lymphoid organs. During infection, the lymphatic vasculature is the main route for the immune response, and in cancer, tumor cells migrate via the lymphatic vasculature to lymph nodes and distant organs. Malfunctions of the lymphatic system can lead to congenital or inherited disorders such as lymphedema, a disfiguring and disabling disorder that is caused by imbalance in lymph absorption and often characterized by swelling of the extremities. A better knowledge of the cellular and molecular features controlling normal lymphatic vasculature development should facilitate our understanding of pathologic lymphatic conditions that lead to inflammation, autoimmunity, cancer, and obesity and to improve the clinical treatment of primary and secondary forms of lymphedema. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Our understanding of the genes and mechanisms controlling the formation of the lymphatic vasculature has improved greatly during the last decade thanks to the availability of molecular markers and animal models with various degrees of lymphatic defects. This knowledge has helped us not only to improve our understanding of lymphatics-related pathologic conditions but also to re-evaluate the functional roles of the lymphatic vasculature in health and disease. Therefore, increasing our understanding of developmental lymphangiogenesis should keep impacting on our understanding of pathologic lymphatic conditions.