Lymphangiogenesis: in vitro and in vivo models

[Iconoclast]

Lymphangiogenesis: in vitro and in vivo models

FASEB J. 2009 Sep 2

Bruyère F, Noë A.
Laboratory of Tumor and Development Biology, Groupe Interdisciplinaire
de Génoprotéomique Appliqué-Cancer (GIGA-Cancer), University of Liège,
Liège, Belgium.

E-mail contact: agnes...@ulg.ac.be

Lymphangiogenesis, the formation of new lymphatic vessels from
preexisting ones, is an important biological process associated with
diverse pathologies, such as metastatic dissemination and graft
rejection. In addition, lymphatic hypoplasia characterizes lymphedema,
usually a progressive and lifelong condition for which no curative
treatment exists. Much progress has been made in recent years in
identifying molecules specifically expressed on lymphatic vessels and
in the setting up of in vitro and in vivo models of lymphangiogenesis.
These new tools rapidly provided an abundance of information on the
mechanisms underlying lymphatic development and the progression of
diseases associated with lymphatic dysfunction. In this review, we
describe the common in vitro and in vivo models of lymphangiogenesis
that have proven suitable for investigating lymphatic biology and the
interactions occurring between lymphatic vessels and other cells, such
as immune cells and cancer cells. Their rationales and limitations are
discussed and illustrated by the most informative findings obtained
with them.-Bruyère, F., Noël, A. Lymphangiogenesis: in vitro and in
vivo models.

FASEB Journal

http://www.fasebj.org/cgi/content/abstract/fj.09-132852v1