Nasopharyngeal lymphatic plexus is a hub for cerebrospinal fluid drainage.

ABSTRACT: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the subarachnoid space around the brain has long been known to drain through the lymphatics to cervical lymph nodes^1-17, but the connections and regulation have been challenging to identify. Here, using fluorescent CSF tracers in Prox1-GFP lymphatic reporter mice¹⁸, we found that the nasopharyngeal lymphatic plexus is a major hub for CSF outflow to deep cervical lymph nodes. This plexus had unusual valves and short lymphangions but no smooth-muscle coverage, whereas downstream deep cervical lymphatics had typical semilunar valves, long lymphangions and smooth muscle coverage that transported CSF to the deep cervical lymph nodes. α-Adrenergic and nitric oxide signalling in the smooth muscle cells regulated CSF drainage through the transport

SUBMITTER: Yoon JH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10808075 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature