The lymphatic vasculature associated with the peripheral nervous system: structures and functions

Abstract

The lymphatic vasculature is widely considered to be a unidirectional transport system, which can collect excess fluid and metabolic waste in the interstitial space, and mediate immune cell transport, the absorption of certain special substances (such as lipids) and other functions. In clinical and basic research, the lymphatic vasculature appears to have generally received less attention than the blood vascular system. However, recent research on lymphatic vessels has greatly enriched our knowledge and directed our attention to the lymphatic vasculature. Furthermore, lymphatic vessels are not only widely distributed, but also have important functions in the cardiovascular, reproductive, respiratory, digestive, and central nervous systems (CNS), and their dysfunction may be the basis for the pathogenesis of various diseases. In the CNS, the existence and role of lymphatic vessels have been well confirmed and revealed. Although from a traditional point of view, the peripheral nervous system (PNS) is different from the CNS, there have something in common in some structures. We reviewed recent research on lymphatic vessels in the PNS, aiming to confirm the existence and to understand the structures and functions in the physiological and pathological processes of peripheral nerves. This review is intended to help open up a new field of research prospectively.