The lymphatic system consists of thin tubes and lymph nodes that run throughout the body. It’s part of the immune system and keeps body fluid levels in balance. A few areas, like bones, were believed to lack lymph tissue. The hard tissue of bone made studying any role the lymphatic system might play especially difficult.
Researchers from the University of Oxford used an animal model to confirm bone contains lymphatic tissue—and that it also plays a significant role in bone healing.
Lymphatic Vessels Are Impaired in Aged Bones
The researchers identified and visualized the lymphatic vessels of bone in high-resolution 3D, using light-sheet imaging. They also identified certain key signals occurring between lymph vessels, blood stem cells, and bone stem cells….