Anatomy and Physiology of the Lymphatics
William N. Charman, Valentino J. Stella in Lymphatic Transport of Drugs, 2019
The major physiological function of the lymphatic system is to maintain the body’s water balance; it acts as a drainage system throughout the body returning excess fluid, protein, and waste products from the tissue space into the blood circulatory system. The lymphatic system consists of a network of vessels, which drain most regions of the body. The vesicle may fuse with lysosomal vesicles causing digestion of the contents by lysosomal enzymes, the products of which are utilized by the cell or, finally, the vesicles may transport macromolecules across the entire cell and into the lumen of the vessel. Targeting drugs into the lymph has certain advantages, which arise mainly as a result of the unique anatomy and physiology of the lymphatic system. These include avoidance of first pass metabolism, direct delivery of cytotoxic drugs in the treatment of lymphatic cancer, and the possibility of regulating the rate of drug delivery.
Lymphatic Transport After Parenteral Drug Administration
William N. Charman, Valentino J. Stella in Lymphatic Transport of Drugs, 2019
This chapter aims to review the different aspects of lymphatic drug delivery which have employed macromolecular carrier systems after local parenteral administration. The primary emphasis is on the work carried out at Kyoto University although other literature examples. In order to effectively study the lymphatic transport of drugs after parenteral administration, it is necessary to choose an appropriate experimental system. Generally, the lymphatic transport of a drug is evaluated by measuring the time-dependent concentration changes in lymph after administration. Drug concentration profiles in the lymph nodes can also be used for the evaluation of lymphatic transport after parenteral administration. Lymphatic transport of drugs is often observed after intravenous administration since drugs administered directly into the systemic circulation may transfer to the lymphatic system after distribution to peripheral tissues. Lymphatic transfer after intravenous injection is much less efficient than direct lymphatic transport after administration as a topical injection.
Consequence of DNA Damage
Shiv Shankar Shukla, Ravindra Kumar Pandey, Bina Gidwani, Gunjan Kalyani in Insight on Genotoxicity, 2020
This chapter provides a brief review on the outcomes of DNA damage, such as the effects on the nervous system, cardiovascular system, lymphatic system, as well as various other disorders, such as ageing, cancer and genome instability. DNA is an essential carrier of genetic information in the development, functioning and reproduction processes of all living organisms. Adaptation in the chemical structure of DNA is known as DNA damage. DNA repair defects are visualised in virtually all the diseases portrayed as accelerated ageing diseases, where various tissues, organs or systems of the human body age untimely. Nuclear DNA damage occurs inside the nucleus whereas mitochondrial DNA damage occurs inside mitochondria. The DNA damage in the germ cell is of three types: the damage is repaired immediately, survived and apoptosis. DNA repair system in reproductive cell repairs genomic mutations caused by genotoxicant factors or addresses a limited number of mutations.
Corneal Lymphangiogenesis: Implications in Immunity
Published in Seminars in Ophthalmology, 2009
The lymphatic system is a network of vessels throughout the body that serves to return lymphatic fluid to the systemic blood circulation and serves as the immune system's highway in the afferent limb of the immune response. This paper reviews the basics of structure, function and development of the lymphatic system. The emphasis is on understanding the role of lymphatics in the cornea as related to angiogenesis and the clinical setting of corneal transplant rejection. The lymphatic system has two main functions: to drain excess extracellular fluid from capillary beds to return to the systemic blood circulation and to capture antigen for presentation to the immune system in the lymphoid compartment (e.g. nodes) connected in parallel to the lymphatic system. The normal cornea is devoid of lymphatic vessels and blood vessels, thus allowing for its unique immune privileged status. Abnormal blood vessel growth into the cornea has been studied for many years, but the study of lymphatic vessels has been hampered until the recent discovery of lymphatic-specific markers. Subsequent studies of vascularized corneas support the presence of lymphatic vessels in the cornea. The growth of new lymphatic (lymphangiogenesis) and blood (hemangiogenesis) vessels in the cornea is closely related to the abrogation of the immune privileged status of the cornea. This review summarizes our current understanding of the parallel development of hemangiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis as related to the mechanisms of immune rejection of corneal transplants.
Radiological Protection and the Lymphatic System: The Induction of Leukaemia Consequent upon the Internal Irradiation of the Tracheobronchial Lymph Nodes and the Gastrointestinal Tract Wall
Published in International Journal of Radiation Biology, 1989
Summary The excess of leukaemia among young people living in the vicinity of the nuclear fuel reprocessing plant at Sellafield has focused attention on the possibility that irradiation of the lymphatic system from particulate α-emitting nuclides might be responsible. We discuss below two possible routes of such exposure; namely the inhalation and ingestion of particulates. We conclude that, in spite of the real possibility of substantial doses to tissues associated with the lymphatic system, there is little reason to expect that lymphatic leukaemia will be the dominant outcome of the exposure. However, the arguments presented are not, and cannot be, wholly conclusive.
Correspondence
Published in Journal of Asthma, 1985
Sincerely, David C. Jamison Editor, Asthma Update 123 Monticello Avenue Annapolis, Maryland 21401 Yours sincerely, J. R. Casley-Smith, D.Sc, M.B. President, International Society for Lymphology The University of Adelaide Box 498, G.P.O., Adelaide, South Australia 5001 THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM