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Updated: Jul 17, 2026
Three-Dimensional Imaging of the Vertebral Lymphatic Vasculature and Drainage using iDISCO+ and Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscopy
Published on: May 22, 2020
D2-40 expression demonstrates lymphatic vessel characteristics in the dural portion of the optic nerve sheath
Roberta E Gausas1, Terri Daly, Franz Fogt
1Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. Roberta.Gausas@uphs.upenn.edu
Purpose:
To investigate the presence or absence of lymphatic vessels in the human optic nerve by means of immunohistochemistry.
Methods:
Use of selective molecular markers to differentiate lymphatics from blood vessels in optic nerve specimens obtained after enucleation or exenteration procedures. Specifically, the lymphatic-specific monoclonal antibody D2-40 was used to identify lymphatic endothelial cells in contrast to CD-34 identification of endothelial cells of blood vessels. Optic nerves obtained from 10 enucleation and 2 exenteration specimens submitted for routine pathology. Paraffin-embedded sections of human optic nerve were immunostained with the lymphatic specific endothelial marker D2-40 and the vascular specific endothelial marker CD-34, using a double-staining method.
Results:
Immunostaining with the lymphatic selective marker D2-40 positively demonstrated lymphatic vessels in the dura mater of the optic nerve. CD-34 counter-immunostaining identified blood vessels as separate vascular structures within the optic nerve meninges and adjacent ocular tissues. Positive D2-40 staining of the arachnoid mater in a nonvascular pattern was identified.
Conclusions:
Vessels with features compatible with lymphatic vessels were demonstrated by means of a selective monoclonal immunohistochemical marker for lymphatic endothelium in the dura mater of the human optic nerve.