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Updated: Dec 31, 2025
A Revised Method for Inducing Secondary Lymphedema in the Hindlimb of Mice
Published on: November 2, 2019
Relationship between shape of peripheral initial lymphatics and efficiency of mechanical stimulation-induced lymph
Fumitaka Ikomi1,2, Sumiyo Hiruma1
1National Defense Medical College Research Institute, Tokorozawa, Japan.
Objective:
The present study aimed to combine the physiological significance of irregularly shaped initial lymphatics and mechanisms of mechanical stimulation-induced lymph formation.
Methods:
To confirm stretch-induced expansion of initial lymphatics, a finite element model that simulated morphological changes on a computer and fluorescent image and immunohistochemical analyses in mouse skin were adopted. Next, to quantitatively analyze the stretch-induced expansion, a simulation study was performed using a viscoelastic model of the tissue including initial lymphatics.
Results:
On the finite element model, when the tissue was stretched, irregularly shaped lymphatics were confirmed to increase luminal volume compared with round-shaped lymphatics. Stretch-induced expansion of the real initial lymphatics was demonstrated by fluorescent images and histological studies. Thereafter, with the application of a viscoelastic model of the tissue, the relationship between the lymph formation rate (Q) and massage frequency (f) could be obtained using the following equation: , where A and τ are constants. Excellent agreement was found between the previous data and the results of the present equation.
Conclusions:
We conclude that irregularly shaped initial lymphatics may lead to efficient lymph formation induced by mechanical stimulation of the tissue.
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