Unit:
Κατεύθυνση Χειρουργική ΑνατομίαLibrary of the School of Health Sciences
Supervisors info:
Θεόδωρος Τρουπής, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή ΕΚΠΑ
Βασίλειος Πρωτογέρου, Αν. Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή ΕΚΠΑ
Δημοσθένης Χρυσικός, Επιστημονικός Συνεργάτης, Ιατρική Σχολή ΕΚΠΑ
Original Title:
Ο ρόλος των λεμφικών βαλβίδων στην παθοφυσιολογία του λεμφοιδήματος
Translated title:
The role of lymph valves in the pathophysiology of lymphedema: embryology and surgical anatomy
Summary:
Background. Many aspects in the pathophysiology of lymphedema remain enigmatic to this day.A better understanding of the disease could aid in the development of novel therapeutic approaches for patients. Aim. This review focuses on the role of lymphatic valves in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of lymphedema, taking into account the exact molecular mechanisms that take place with the deletion of certain genes and transcription factors, as most of them have partially been elucidated during the last years. Material and Methods. The search strategy was conducted in the Medline biblio¬graphical database and yielded 20 articles as a final result. Results. Many genes and molecules have been studied in recent years as to their affiliation to lymphedema formation, in both mouse model studies and human cell cultures. One of the most recently studied groups of such molecules is the connexin family of gap-junction proteins, leading to controversial results. Conclusion. The review offers a summary of the methods used in experimental models of both knockout mice and human cell cultures, and includes specific directions for future research in the field of lymphology.
Main subject category:
Health Sciences
Keywords:
Lymphedema, Pathophysiology, Valves
