Research & Innovation
Publications
Absence of lymphatic vessels in the developing human sclera
PMU Authors
H. A. Reitsamer, F. Schrödl, L. M. Heindl
All Authors
S. L. Schlereth, B. Neuser, M. C. Herwig, A. M. Müller, K. R. Koch, H. A. Reitsamer, F. Schrödl, C. Cursiefen, L. M. Heindl
Journal association
EXPERIMENTAL EYE RESEARCH
Abstract
The adult sclera is free of lymphatic vessels, but contains a net of blood vessels. Whether and when this selectively lymphangiogenic privilege is achieved during embryologic development is not known yet. Therefore, we investigated the developing human sclera for blood- and lymphatic vessels in 34 abortions/stillborns (12-38 weeks of gestation). The probes were subdivided into three groups (group 1: 12-18 weeks of gestation, n = 10; group 2: 19-23 weeks of gestation, n = 13; group 3: 24-38 weeks of gestation, n = 11), and prepared for paraffin sections followed by immunohistochemistry against CD31 to detect blood vessels, and against lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor-1 (LYVE1)/podoplanin to detect lymphatic vessels. We could show, that in the human episclera distinct CD31 + blood vessels are present as early as week of gestation 13. Their amount increased during pregnancy, whereas stromal CD31 + blood vessels were elevated in early pregnancy and regressed with ongoing pregnancy. In the lamina fusca CD31 + blood vessels were absent at any time point investigated. Single LYVE1 + cells were identified primarily in the episclera; their amount decreased significantly with increasing gestational ages (group 1 compared to group 3: p
Keywords
Female Gestational Age Humans Lymphangiogenesis/*physiology Lymphatic Vessels/*embryology/metabolism Male Neovascularization, Physiologic/*physiology Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1/metabolism Sclera/blood supply/*embryology Vesicular Transport Proteins/metabolism angiogenesis development fetal lymphangiogenesis neovascularization sclera