Stacker Steven A, Farnsworth Rae H, Karnezis Tara, Shayan Ramin, Smith Darrin P, Paavonen Karri, Davydova Natalia, Caesar Carol, Inder Rachael, Baldwin Megan E, McColl Bradley K, Roufail Sally, Williams Richard A, Hughes Richard A, Alitalo Kari, Achen Marc G
Angiogenesis Laboratory, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, PO Box 2008, Royal Melbourne Hospital, 3050, Victoria, Australia.
Novartis Found Symp. 2007;281:38-43; discussion 44-53, 208-9. doi: 10.1002/9780470062128.ch4.
The lymphatic network functions to return fluid, cells and macromolecules to the circulation. Recent characterization of growth factors that control the growth and development of the lymphatics, and markers which specify lymphatic endothelial cells have enhanced our understanding of this system. Members of the VEGF family of factors are key regulators of these vessels with VEGF-C/VEGF-D and VEGFR-3 being the best validated signalling pathways in lymphangiogenesis. The study of these molecules in various pathologies has shown that they are important in the processes of cancer metastasis and in the formation of lymphoedema. Knowledge of these molecular pathways allows for the generation of modulators of these pathways which could form the basis of novel therapeutic approaches.
淋巴网络的功能是将液体、细胞和大分子物质回输到循环系统中。最近对控制淋巴管生长和发育的生长因子以及识别淋巴管内皮细胞的标志物的特性研究，增进了我们对该系统的理解。血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）家族成员是这些血管的关键调节因子，其中VEGF-C/VEGF-D和血管内皮生长因子受体-3（VEGFR-3）是淋巴管生成中得到最佳验证的信号通路。对这些分子在各种病理状况下的研究表明，它们在癌症转移过程和淋巴水肿形成中起着重要作用。了解这些分子途径有助于开发这些途径的调节剂，从而为新的治疗方法奠定基础。
