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The Lymphatics in Normal and Pathological Heart Valves

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The Cardiac Lymphatic System

Abstract

Despite the importance of the myocardial lymphatic vasculature in many pathological conditions, little information is readily available about heart valvular lymphatic vessels in normal and pathological conditions. Before the onset of specific antibodies, researchers mainly performed dye and hydrogen peroxide injection studies in animal hearts in order to visualize the cardiac lymphatics. In the era of specific antibodies, lymphatic vessels were described in normal human valves. In pathological valves, the highest number of lymphatics was found in valves with infective endocarditis where they accounted for nearly 100 % of all vessels in extracellular matrix-rich areas whereas inflammatory cell-rich areas were more prone to angiogenesis. An increased number of lymphatics was also found in cases of degenerative calcified stenosis and myxoid degeneration whereas the number was unchanged in fibrotic valves. Knowledge of the lymphatics in cardiac valves and their changes under various pathological conditions is also important for the further development of various treatment strategies. Certain drugs or gene therapy techniques could potentially influence lymphatic vessel densities in these regions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fimlab Laboratories, Pathology, Tampere University Hospital, Biokatu 4, 33520, Tampere, Finland

    Ivana Kholová MD, PhD

  2. Department of Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine, A.I. Virtanen Institute, University of Eastern Finland, Neulaniementie 2, 70211, Kuopio, Finland

    Galina Dragneva MSc & Seppo Ylä-Herttuala MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Ivana Kholová MD, PhD
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  2. Galina Dragneva MSc
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  3. Seppo Ylä-Herttuala MD, PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Seppo Ylä-Herttuala MD, PhD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, 44106, Ohio, USA

    Ganga Karunamuni

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Kholová, I., Dragneva, G., Ylä-Herttuala, S. (2013). The Lymphatics in Normal and Pathological Heart Valves. In: Karunamuni, G. (eds) The Cardiac Lymphatic System. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6774-8_5

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