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Published on: March 22, 2024
The Biophysics of Lymphatic Transport: Engineering Tools and Immunological Consequences
Meghan J O'Melia1, Amanda W Lund2, Susan N Thomas3
1Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, 313 Ferst Drive NW, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
Abstract:
Lymphatic vessels mediate fluid flows that affect antigen distribution and delivery, lymph node stromal remodeling, and cell-cell interactions, to thus regulate immune activation. Here we review the functional role of lymphatic transport and lymph node biomechanics in immunity. We present experimental tools that enable quantitative analysis of lymphatic transport and lymph node dynamics in vitro and in vivo. Finally, we discuss the current understanding for how changes in lymphatic transport and lymph node biomechanics contribute to pathogenesis of conditions including cancer, aging, neurodegeneration, and infection.
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