LYMPHANGIOGENESIS IN-VITRO - FORMATION OF LYMPHATIC CAPILLARY-LIKE CHANNELS FROM CONFLUENT MONOLAYERS OF LYMPHATIC ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS

Lymphatic endothelial cells grown long term in culture form lymphatic capillarylike tubes. Examination by light and transmission electron mi croscopy showed that these structures were closed loops composed of on e to several cells connected by intercellular junction to form a lumin al space. This first demonstration of lymphangiogenesis in confluent m onolayer cultures of lymphatic endothelial cells (a) showed that colla gen type I accelerated lymphatic capillary tube formation, whereas fib ronectin and matrigel had no effect; b) provided a model to study lymp hatic endothelial cell function and differentiation; and c) offered a possibility to distinguish differences between the process of lymphang iogenesis and angiogenesis by testing various factors and conditions t hat effect endothelial cell behavior.