Entrainment of Lymphatic Contraction to Oscillatory Flow.

ABSTRACT: Lymphedema, a disfiguring condition characterized by an asymmetrical swelling of the limbs, is suspected to be caused by dysfunctions in the lymphatic system. A possible source of lymphatic dysfunction is the reduced mechanosensitivity of lymphangions, the spontaneously contracting units of the lymphatic system. In this study, the entrainment of lymphangions to an oscillatory wall shear stress (OWSS) is characterized in rat thoracic ducts in relation to their shear sensitivity. The critical shear stress above which the thoracic ducts show a substantial inhibition of contraction was found to be significantly negatively correlated to the diameter of the lymphangion. The entrainment of the lymphangion to an applied OWSS was found to be significantly dependent on the difference between the app

SUBMITTER: Mukherjee A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6456495 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature