Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 18, 2026

Three-Dimensional Imaging of the Vertebral Lymphatic Vasculature and Drainage using iDISCO+ and Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscopy
Published on: May 22, 2020
Cerebrospinal fluid draining lymphatics in health and disease: advances and controversies
Donald M McDonald1, Kari Alitalo2, Christer Betsholtz3,4
1Department of Anatomy, Cardiovascular Research Institute, and UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. donald.mcdonald@ucsf.edu.
Abstract:
The meninges, consisting of the dura, arachnoid and pia mater that surround the brain and spinal cord, have been recognized from the earliest anatomical studies. First identified in 1787, lymphatic vessels in the dura are now receiving greater attention as their contribution to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) clearance in diverse neurological conditions is being investigated. New methods have increased the understanding of dural lymphatics, but much is still being learned about their heterogeneity, intracranial and extracranial connections, and factors that govern their functions and maintenance. Current research is striving to understand the regulation of CSF drainage and influence of brain antigen and immune cell transit through dural lymphatics on aging impairments and the severity of neurodegenerative and neuroimmune diseases, traumatic brain injury, stroke and other neurological disorders. Achieving these goals should lead to safe and effective methods for manipulating CSF clearance through dural lymphatics for therapeutic benefit.
Related Concept Videos
Cerebrospinal Fluid
CSF Production
CSF is produced mainly in the choroid plexus, a network of capillaries and ependymal cells located within the ventricular system of the brain....
Lymphatic Vessels and Lymph Transport
This one-way system allows fluids, solutes, and even pathogens to enter but prevents their return to the intercellular...
Veins of Head and Neck
On the other hand, the vertebral veins, unlike their arterial counterparts, are not primarily responsible for brain drainage. Instead, they drain the cervical vertebrae, spinal cord, and some small...
Fluid Connective Tissues: Blood and Lymph
Blood
The blood flows through blood vessels— arteries, capillaries, and veins. Blood plasma is primarily made of proteins, solutes, and...
Development of the Lymphatic System
The first lymph sacs to form are the paired jugular lymph sacs located at the junction of the internal jugular and subclavian veins. From these sacs, lymphatic capillary plexuses extend to the thorax, upper limbs, neck, and head, eventually forming lymphatic vessels. Each jugular lymph sac maintains a...
Anatomy of the Brain: Ventricles

