Lymphology on Michael’s Domain

Lymphologie 2019

Sat, 12 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0000

A week ago, I visited Germany to participate in the Lymphologie 2019 conference, which took place in Bad Krozingen near Freiburg.The conference is jointly organized every two years by the DGL ( Deutsche Gesellschaft für Lymphologie ) and the GDL ( Gesellschaft Deutschsprachiger Lymphologen ). The meeting is overall very hands-on and clinically oriented with many workshops and practical advice. Therefore, it’s highly recommended for practitioners who are able to understand German. However, there is also a “basic science” track, and the organizers always manage to recruit some decent scientists for this track (see here: https://www.lymphologie-kongress.de/programm/samstag-03-10-15/) . Notably, the talks are delivered in German, which doesn’t make the recruiting task easier. Lymphologists in Germany continue to play a leading role in the treatment of lymphedema (and recently lipedema) with uniquely specialized experts and facilities ( Földiklinik ), but English has become the language of biomedical research also in Germany. However, there is still a need for dissemination of research results in German language and that’s why I contribute occasionally to the German-language journal “Lymphologie in Forschung und Praxis”.

Essentials facts about VEGF-C in lymphology

Fri, 05 May 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Essentials facts about VEGF-C in lymphology

Dr. Michael Jeltsch, Adjunct Professor, University of Helsinki & Wihuri Research Institute, Finland, michael@jeltsch.org

Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) is essential for the development and growth of the lymphatic vasculature. Together with VEGF-D, it forms the lymphatic subgroup within the VEGF family of growth factors, whose other members (PlGF, VEGF/VEGF-A, VEGF-B) are primarily responsible for the growth and function of blood vessels. VEGF-C was discovered as a ligand of the tyrosine kinase receptor VEGFR-3 (1) and its specific effect on lymph vessels was first described in 1997 (2,3). About one-third of hereditary lymphedema cases in humans result from mutations in genes involved in VEGF-C signaling (4). The complete absence of VEGF-C leads to death during embryogenesis (5). Likely for this reason, clinical cases of hereditary lymphedema are characterised by a partial inactivation of the signal transduction. VEGFR-3 (6) is affected in most cases, but mutations of the hereditary lymphedema are described or suspected for all components of the VEGF-C signal transduction described below, partly within a multifactorial inheritance.

Historic articles about the lymphatic system

Sat, 25 Jan 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction into lymphatic research

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Lecture 1: The cardiovascular system vs. the lymphatic system: Anatomy and Physiology
Lecture 2: Molecular make-up of the lymphatic system
Lecture 3: The lymphatic system in disease
Lecture 4: Model organisms in lymphatic research , .tex file
Lecture 5: Fundamental techniques in lymphatic research
Lecture 6: Current questions in lymphatic research