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Frenkel NC, Poghosyan S, Verheem A, Padera TP, Rinkes IHMB, Kranenburg O, Hagendoorn J. Liver lymphatic drainage patterns follow segmental anatomy in a murine model. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21808. [PMID: 33311587 PMCID: PMC7732834 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78727-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The liver’s cellular functions are sustained by a hierarchical, segmentally-organized vascular system. Additionally, liver lymphatic vessels are thought to drain to perihepatic lymph nodes. Surprisingly, while recent findings highlight the importance of organ-specific lymphatics, the functional anatomy of liver lymphatics has not been mapped out. In literature, no segmental or preferential lymphatic drainage patterns are known to exist. We employ a novel murine model of liver lymphangiography and in vivo microscopy to delineate the lymphatic drainage patterns of individual liver lobes. Our data from blue dye liver lymphangiography show preferential lymphatic drainage patterns: Right lobe mainly to hepatoduodenal ligament lymph node 1 (LN1); left lobe to hepatoduodenal ligament LN1 + LN2 concurrently; median lobe showed a more variable LN1/LN2 drainage pattern with increased (sometimes exclusive) mediastinal thoracic lymph node involvement, indicating that part of the liver can drain directly to the mediastinum. Upon ferritin lymphangiography, we observed no functional communication between the lobar lymphatics. Altogether, these results show the existence of preferential lymphatic drainage patterns in the murine liver. Moreover, this drainage can occur directly to mediastinal lymph nodes and there is no interlobar lymphatic flow. Collectively, these data provide the first direct evidence that liver lymphatic drainage patterns follow segmental anatomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola C Frenkel
- Laboratory for Translational Oncology, Cancer Center, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Susanna Poghosyan
- Laboratory for Translational Oncology, Cancer Center, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - André Verheem
- Laboratory for Translational Oncology, Cancer Center, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Timothy P Padera
- E.L. Steele Laboratory for Tumor Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Inne H M Borel Rinkes
- Laboratory for Translational Oncology, Cancer Center, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Onno Kranenburg
- Laboratory for Translational Oncology, Cancer Center, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Hagendoorn
- Laboratory for Translational Oncology, Cancer Center, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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