This work was supported by the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (00376), the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) [Grant R15CA231339], the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) School of Pharmacy Office of the Sciences grant (to C.M.M.), and by the College of Pharmacy, University of Louisiana Monroe start-up funding, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the National Institute of General Medical Science [Grant P20 GM103424-21] and the Research Competitiveness Subprogram (RCS) of the Louisiana Board of Regents through the Board of Regents Support Fund (LEQSF(2021-24)-RD-A-23) (to G.M.). The common TTUHSC equipment used was obtained through the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) Grants RP190524 and RP200572. The funders had no role in the study design, the decision to write, or preparation of the manuscript. The graphical abstract in Figure 1A was created with BioRender.com.

Animal studies were performed according to the approved protocols by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) for the experiments at TTUHSC and by the Veterinary Administration of the Prefecture of Western Greece according to Directive 2010/63 for the experiments at the University of Patras. Diligently follow waste disposal regulations when disposing of animal waste materials.
1. Isolation of mouse dermis
<ol>
	<li>Day 1 
	NOTE: On Day 1; get the following materials and equipment ready: anesthesia chamber, animal hair clipper, isoflurane, fine forceps, 0.2 &#181;m syringe filters.
	<ol>
		<li>Prepare a 2 mg/mL Dispase solution in DMEM with 1x Antibiotic-Antimycotic Solution and filter-sterilize it. 
		NOTE: The use of medium or PBS can be replaced by HBSS, as it has been successfully used in other reported&#160;protocols12. The 1x Antibiotic-Antimycotic Solution can be substituted by the addition of penicillin (100 I.U./mL), streptomycin (100 &#181;g/mL), and amphotericin (2.5 &#181;g/mL).</li>
		<li>Anesthetize the mouse by placing the mouse in an anesthesia chamber with isoflurane administration (0.5-2% isoflurane, flow: 1 L/min). After the mouse stops moving, transfer it out of the cage, and continue anesthesia adjusting a nose cone with a similar isoflurane flow. Toe-pinch the animal to confirm sufficient anesthesia levels and constantly monitor the mouse to ensure deep anesthesia is preserved (no motility). Clip approximately 9 cm2 of the dorsal and ventral fur (mouse back and abdomen respectively) longitudinally along the midline, using a hair clipper. Let the mouse recover from anesthesia and return it to the cage. 
		NOTE: Hair removal (depilation) cream can be used instead. Make sure the fur is completely removed in the skin areas to be isolated while maintaining the integrity of the skin. Try to clip as extended&#160;skin area as possible. To ensure that potential inflammation from the hair removal is resolved, cell isolation must take place the following day. To increase the number of isolated cells pool 2 to 4 mice per group.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Day 2 
	NOTE: Keep the following materials and equipment ready: euthanasia chamber, biosafety cabinet, CO2 incubator, ethanol, fine scissors, fine forceps, blunt forceps, 100 mm tissue culture plate, Dispase, DMEM, 1x Antibiotic-Antimycotic Solution.
	<ol>
		<li>Euthanize the mouse by CO2 administration and place it in a supine position, exposing the clipped area. Spray 70% ethanol as a disinfectant. 
		NOTE: From this step onwards, all steps must be performed under sterile conditions (in a biosafety cabinet).</li>
		<li>Place a sterile 100 mm Tissue Culture Plate on ice.</li>
		<li>Make a 0.5 inch superficial cut at the abdomen and cut longitudinally along the midline to the neck and the lower abdomen. Make lateral cuts to be able to flap open the skin. 
		NOTE: The incision size and the skin area isolated depend on the mouse size.</li>
		<li>Using blunt forceps, carefully separate the skin from the surrounding tissues. Do this going around the entire torso of the mouse, cutting the skin laterally around the neck and the lower abdomen.</li>
		<li>Carefully place the skin into the 100 mm Tissue Culture Plate, with the dermis side facing down, keeping the skin as stretched as possible. Cover the plates and keep them on ice. Complete the isolation of all mice from the group.</li>
		<li>After the skin is extracted from all mice, incubate plates for 10 min at room temperature to flatten the explant.</li>
		<li>Add 6 mL of Dispase solution to the plate, making sure the skin is completely immersed and incubate overnight with mild agitation at 4 &#176;C. 
		NOTE: Instead of Dispase, trypsin digestion can also be performed12, followed by Liberase instead of Collagenase Type II treatment (below).</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>
2. Cell isolation from the dermis
<ol>
	<li>Day 3 
	NOTE: Keep the following materials and equipment ready: centrifuge, CO2 incubator, biosafety cabinet, scissors, DMEM, 1x Antibiotic-Antimycotic Solution, Collagenase Type II, PBS, 50 mL conical tube, 100 mm and 60 mm tissue culture plates, DNAse I solution, Collagen Type I, 70 &#181;m and 40 &#181;m cell strainers, 0.2 &#181;m syringe filters, LEC medium.
	<ol>
		<li>Prepare 500 mL of 1x PBS (1.37 M NaCl, 27 mM KCl, 100 mM Na2HPO4, 18 mM KH2PO4, pH 7.4) and autoclave for 20 min at 15 psi or filter-sterilize. Alternatively, use commercially available sterile PBS.</li>
		<li>Prepare 10 mL of 2 mg/mL Collagenase Type II solution in DMEM with 1x Antibiotic-Antimycotic Solution and filter-sterilize it. 
		NOTE: Perform the next steps under a sterile hood to decrease the chances of sample contamination.</li>
		<li>Use a pipette to remove the liquid from the dish.</li>
		<li>Use forceps to separate the dermis (bottom of the skin) from the epidermis (top) and remove any obvious adipose tissue. Transfer the dermis to a clean Tissue Culture plate.</li>
		<li>Add 1 mL of DMEM with 1x Antibiotic-Antimycotic Solution in the clean Tissue Culture Plate and tilt it so that the liquid accumulates on one side of the plate.</li>
		<li>Mince the dermis into 1-2 mm2 pieces and transfer them to a new 50 mL conical tube. 
		NOTE: This step must ideally be completed within 4-5 min, as longer processing is not expected to provide higher yield or cell survival.</li>
		<li>Add 10 mL of the Collagenase Type II solution.</li>
		<li>Add 50 &#181;L (25 units/mL of the solution) of DNAse I solution (reduces cell clumping) and digest the dermis solution for 2 h at 37 &#176;C with continuous agitation (use a rotating/shaking incubator at 30-50 rpm). 
		NOTE: Check periodically to identify whether most of the dermis has been digested. If not, increase the digestion time (1 extra h maximum) and agitation speed, if possible.</li>
		<li>Coat 60 mm Tissue Culture Plates with 2 mL of 10 &#181;g/mL Collagen Type I in 0.02 M Acetic Acid for &#62;20 min at 37 &#176;C. Wash 2x with sterile PBS.</li>
		<li>Filter the cell suspension using a 70 &#181;m cell strainer and centrifuge at 250 &#215; g for 5 min. Discard the supernatant.</li>
		<li>Resuspend in 10 mL of DMEM with 1x Antibiotic-Antimycotic Solution.</li>
		<li>Filter the cell suspension using a 40 &#181;m cell strainer and centrifuge at 250 &#215; g for 5 min. Discard the supernatant.</li>
		<li>Resuspend in 1 mL of complete LEC media (Endothelial Cell Growth Base Medium with Supplement).</li>
		<li>Plate the cells in the collagen-coated 60 mm Tissue Culture Plate in complete LEC media. This will be Day 0 of cell culture.</li>
		<li>Replace the media after every 2 days by washing cells with 1x PBS twice and adding fresh LEC media.</li>
		<li>Repeat step 2.1.15 until the cells are 80-90% confluent. 
		&#8203;NOTE: If the purification is performed before the cells are 80-90% confluent, fewer lymphatic endothelial cells will be isolated. This process takes about 7 to 10 days.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>
3. Magnetic Bead Coating with LYVE-1 antibody
NOTE: One day before the purification step, get the following materials and equipment ready: 4 &#176;C Refrigerator, Rotor, magnetic separator, PBS, Anti-Rabbit IgG Magnetic Beads, microcentrifuge tubes, 0.2 &#181;m syringe filters, Magnetic Bead Coating Solution, LYVE-1 antibody.
<ol>
	<li>Prepare the Magnetic Bead Coating Solution: 20 mL of PBS with 0.1% BSA and 2 mM EDTA and filter-sterilize it. Store it at 4 &#176;C. 
	NOTE: More than a few days of storage is not recommended; check for precipitates or contamination before use.</li>
	<li>Pipette 500 &#181;L of Anti-Rabbit IgG Magnetic Beads to a microcentrifuge tube and add 1 mL of ice-cold Magnetic Bead Coating Solution.</li>
	<li>Use a magnetic separator to wash the beads.</li>
	<li>Repeat the washes 2x with 1 mL of the ice-cold Magnetic Bead Coating Solution.</li>
	<li>Resuspend the beads in 500 &#181;L of Magnetic Bead Coating Solution and make aliquots of 150 &#181;L in microcentrifuge tubes.</li>
	<li>Add 15 &#181;g of the LYVE-1 antibody to each tube (15 &#181;L from 1 mg/mL antibody stock concentration).</li>
	<li>Incubate overnight at 4 &#176;C&#160;with continuous agitation.</li>
</ol>
4. Lymphatic endothelial cell purification
NOTE: Get the following materials and equipment ready: CO2 incubator, shaker, timer, parafilm, DMEM, 1x Antibiotic-Antimycotic Solution, BSA, PBS, Magnetic Bead Coating Solution, trypsin-EDTA, 100 mm or 60 mm tissue culture plates, 0.2 &#181;m syringe filters, Collagen Type I, Acetic acid, LEC medium.
<ol>
	<li>Prepare 50 mL of DMEM with 1x Antibiotic-Antimycotic Solution and 0.1% BSA and filter-sterilize it.</li>
	<li>Coat 60 mm Tissue Culture Plates with 10 &#181;g/mL Collagen Type I in 0.02 M Acetic Acid for &#62;20 min at 37 &#176;C. Wash 2x with sterile PBS.</li>
	<li>Wash the precoated beads with 1 mL of Magnetic Bead Coating Solution, using a magnetic separator.</li>
	<li>Resuspend the beads in 150 &#181;L of DMEM with 0.1% BSA. 
	NOTE: The beads can now be stored at 4 &#176;C for up to 1 month.</li>
	<li>Wash the cells 2x with PBS.</li>
	<li>Add 3 mL of DMEM with 0.1% BSA (for a 60 mm Tissue Culture Plate) and 50 &#181;L of the antibody-conjugated beads to the cells. 
	NOTE: If the cells from two or more mice are pooled, use a 100 mm Tissue Culture Plate and add 6 mL of DMEM with 0.1% BSA.</li>
	<li>Seal the dish with parafilm.</li>
	<li>Place the dish on a shaker agitating at 10 RPM at RT and incubate for exactly 10 min. 
	NOTE: Longer incubation will result in non-specific binding. To ensure that the beads interact with the entire plate surface, manually rotate the plate after every few minutes as it continues to shake.</li>
	<li>Discard the medium and wash the cells once with PBS. Quickly inspect the cells to verify the presence of LEC colonies on the plate.</li>
	<li>Trypsinize the cells: use 1 mL of trypsin-EDTA and incubate for 3 min at 37 &#176;C. Inspect the cells for successful cell detachment.</li>
	<li>Neutralize the solution with 2 mL of complete LEC media and transfer the solution to a 5 mL sterile polypropylene tube.</li>
	<li>Using a magnetic separator wash cells 4 x 3 mL of DMEM with 0.1% BSA to remove unbound cells.</li>
	<li>Resuspend the remaining bead-bound cells in complete LEC media and plate onto the previously Collagen-coated 60 mm Tissue Culture Plates.</li>
	<li>Incubate the cells at 37 &#176;C and change the media every other day after two PBS washes each time.</li>
	<li>Culture the cells till they reach confluency (it normally takes 7 to 10 days).</li>
	<li>At that point, check cells under the microscope for confluency and proceed with preparing cells for flow cytometry. If a high F4/80+ percentage is identified, then repeat the purification step with LYVE-1 (Step 4: Lymphatic Endothelial Cell Purification) again or ideally another lymphatic marker (i.e., podoplanin14). 
	&#8203;NOTE: The high expression of the protein targeted by the antibody on the magnetic bead-purified cell population has been demonstrated15,16. However, for LYVE-1, it is important to perform a flow cytometry control for the identification of the percentage of other LYVE-1+ cells, mostly macrophages. LYVE-1 is only expressed in subsets of macrophages that are associated with tumors and wounds, whereas in healthy skin, LYVE-1 expression is more restricted to lymphatic endothelial cells17. Thus, the F4/80 screening is not mandatory, but rather dependent on the experimental context. The mice used for demonstration did not carry tumors or wounds, just potential inflammation from hair removal, but we included the F4/80 staining as a baseline of the percentage of LYVE-1+ macrophages.</li>
</ol>
5. Flow cytometry
NOTE: Get the following materials and equipment ready: centrifuge, CO2 incubator, timer, hemocytometer, EDTA solution, 1x Antibiotic-Antimycotic Solution, BSA, PBS, trypsin-EDTA, polypropylene tubes, 0.2 &#181;m syringe filters, 70% ethanol, F4/80 FITC-conjugated antibody.
<ol>
	<li>Prepare PBS containing 0.1% BSA and filter-sterilize it.</li>
	<li>Prepare 1 mM EDTA solution in PBS.</li>
	<li>Trypsinize the cells: incubate the cells with 1 mL of 1 mM EDTA solution for 5 min at 37 &#176;C. 
	NOTE: Incubation with EDTA solution is a milder method of cell detachment, which preserves better the transmembrane proteins and is preferred, but it requires longer incubation periods. Alternatively, trypsin-EDTA solution can be used for 1 min incubation at 37 &#176;C, but this can affect antibody affinity for flow cytometry applications.</li>
	<li>Neutralize the solution with 2 mL of complete LEC media and transfer the solution to a 5 mL sterile polypropylene tube.</li>
	<li>Centrifuge the samples at 250 &#215; g for 5 min.</li>
	<li>Wash with PBS.</li>
	<li>Repeat the centrifugation and PBS wash.</li>
	<li>Resuspend the cells in PBS containing 0.1% BSA and count them using a hemocytometer or alternative method. Aliquot ~1 &#215; 106 cells into polypropylene tubes with a final volume of 100 &#181;l. From this step onwards, perform all the steps at 4 &#176;C. 
	NOTE: The cells can be fixed before staining or stained while alive. Fixation can be suboptimal for flow cytometry, as some antibodies may not detect the antigens after fixation; therefore, we recommend running flow cytometry immediately after the previous step and skipping the fixation step. If that is not possible, fixation prior to the flow cytometry experiment will allow a delay in the flow cytometry step. If fixation is to be performed, the performance of the antibodies in the context of fixed cells should be evaluated in advance.</li>
	<li>Perform fixation (optional step; if the cells are not to be fixed, proceed with immunostaining): resuspend the cells in ice-cold 70% ethanol and gently mix for 10 min on ice. 
	NOTE: Ethanol fixation can permeabilize the cells and lead to the release of GFP; however, paraformaldehyde-based fixation can destroy dyes used for flow cytometry and ideally can be avoided.</li>
	<li>Incubate for 15 min at room temperature.</li>
	<li>Wash cells 2x by centrifugation at 250 &#215; g for 5 min in 1x PBS.</li>
	<li>Proceed to the next step or resuspend the cells in 0.5-1 mL of 1x PBS and store at 4 &#176;C.</li>
</ol>
6. Immunostaining
NOTE: Handle the cells gently and avoid extensive pipetting, when possible, to maintain the cell membrane integrity and minimize cell death, ensuring that the cells are not forming clumps. From the isolated endothelial cells, prepare the following groups: unstained cells and stained cells with another endothelial cell marker (i.e., VEGFR3, podoplanin), F4/80, and both. Include commercially available mouse lymphatic endothelial cells and macrophages, if available, as positive controls. For demonstration purposes, and due to the endogenous tdTomato fluorescence (PE+), we have used FITC-conjugated F4/80 staining.
<ol>
	<li>Dilute the primary antibody in PBS with 0.1% BSA according to the recommended or optimized dilution. Add 0.5 &#181;g (1 &#181;L of antibody solution) of the F4/80 FITC-conjugated antibody to the 100 &#181;Lof the cell suspension.</li>
	<li>Resuspend the cells after the addition of the diluted fluorescent-conjugated antibody. Mix by flicking the polypropylene tube to ensure that there are no clumps and all cells are properly coated.</li>
	<li>Incubate for 1 h at room temperature (fixed cells) or 30 min on ice (live cells) in the dark.</li>
	<li>Wash cells 2x by centrifuging them at 250 &#215; g for 5 min at 4 &#176;C (for live cells) or at room temperature (for fixed cells), using PBS with 0.1% BSA in the dark.</li>
	<li>For non-fluorescently-conjugated antibodies
	<ol>
		<li>Dilute the fluorochrome-conjugated secondary antibody in the incubation buffer. For Alexa Flour antibodies, use a 1:500 dilution.</li>
		<li>Add the secondary antibody to 100 &#181;L of the cell suspension solution.</li>
		<li>Incubate for 30 min at room temperature (fixed cells) or on ice (live cells).</li>
		<li>Wash twice by centrifugation at 250 &#215; g for 5 min at 4 &#176;C (for live cells) or at room temperature (for fixed cells) in the incubation buffer.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Resuspend cells in 0.5 mL of 1x PBS and analyze them using a flow cytometer.</li>
	<li>Follow these gating strategy steps to identify the macrophage population within the LYVE-1-expressing cells:
	<ol>
		<li>Consider forward and side scattering to distinguish the cellular population.</li>
		<li>Consider forward scattering for cell size area and height to distinguish the single cells (Singlets).</li>
		<li>Take into account F4/80 (FITC) expression and RFP (PE) expression to identify macrophages (F4/80+) within the tdTomato (PE)-expressing isolated murine cells (due to the presence of a fluorescent tdTomato reporter in the specific mice, described below).</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>

Isolating Endothelial Cells from Murine Dermal Lymphatic Capillaries

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E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Kaposiform+lymphangiomatosis:+a+distinct+aggressive+lymphatic+anomaly.">Kaposiform lymphangiomatosis: a distinct aggressive lymphatic anomaly.</a> Journal of Pediatris. 164 (2), 383-388 (2014).</li><li>Ji, Y., Chen, S., Peng, S., Xia, C., Li, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Kaposiform+lymphangiomatosis+and+kaposiform+hemangioendothelioma:+similarities+and+differences.">Kaposiform lymphangiomatosis and kaposiform hemangioendothelioma: similarities and differences.</a> Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases. 14 (1), 165 (2019).</li><li>Kriehuber, E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Isolation+and+characterization+of+dermal+lymphatic+and+blood+endothelial+cells+reveal+stable+and+functionally+specialized+cell+lineages.">Isolation and characterization of dermal lymphatic and blood endothelial cells reveal stable and functionally specialized cell lineages.</a> Journal of Experimental Medicine. 194 (6), 797-808 (2001).</li><li>Podgrabinska, S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Molecular+characterization+of+lymphatic+endothelial+cells.">Molecular characterization of lymphatic endothelial cells.</a> Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 99 (25), 16069-16074 (2002).</li><li>Garrafa, E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Isolation,+purification,+and+heterogeneity+of+human+lymphatic+endothelial+cells+from+different+tissues.">Isolation, purification, and heterogeneity of human lymphatic endothelial cells from different tissues.</a> Lymphology. 38 (4), 159-166 (2005).</li><li>Kazenwadel, J., Secker, G. A., Betterman, K. L., Harvey, N. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=In+vitro+assays+using+primary+embryonic+mouse+lymphatic+endothelial+cells+uncover+key+roles+for+FGFR1+signalling+in+lymphangiogenesis.">In vitro assays using primary embryonic mouse lymphatic endothelial cells uncover key roles for FGFR1 signalling in lymphangiogenesis.</a> PLoS One. 7 (7), e40497 (2012).</li><li>Steele, M. M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=T+cell+egress+via+lymphatic+vessels+is+tuned+by+antigen+encounter+and+limits+tumor+control.">T cell egress via lymphatic vessels is tuned by antigen encounter and limits tumor control.</a> Nature Immunology. 24 (4), 664-675 (2023).</li><li>Mammoto, T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Effects+of+age-dependent+changes+in+cell+size+on+endothelial+cell+proliferation+and+senescence+through+YAP1.">Effects of age-dependent changes in cell size on endothelial cell proliferation and senescence through YAP1.</a> Aging. 11 (17), 7051-7069 (2019).</li><li>Regina, C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Vascular+ageing+and+endothelial+cell+senescence:+Molecular+mechanisms+of+physiology+and+diseases.">Vascular ageing and endothelial cell senescence: Molecular mechanisms of physiology and diseases.</a> Mechanisms of Ageing and Development. 159, 14-21 (2016).</li><li>Muhleder, S., Fernandez-Chacon, M., Garcia-Gonzalez, I., Benedito, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Endothelial+sprouting,+proliferation,+or+senescence:+tipping+the+balance+from+physiology+to+pathology.">Endothelial sprouting, proliferation, or senescence: tipping the balance from physiology to pathology.</a> Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences: CMLS. 78 (4), 1329-1354 (2021).</li></ol>

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

The lymphatic system is an important regulator of the homeostatic function of the body, with the most important functions being the maintenance of fluid plasma, removal of cellular metabolism byproducts and toxic molecules, lipid absorption, and immune cell trafficking1,19. The identification of appropriate markers has provoked a burst in new data in the lymphatics field, revealing novel functions of the lymphatic vasculature, such as their role in the repair and...

The lymphatic system plays a pivotal role in human physiology. It is considered a vital homeostatic factor, that facilitates important functions, such as the maintenance of tissue-plasma fluid balance, immune surveillance, and lipid absorption1, as well as recently-identified functions, such as the repair ability of the heart2 and regenerative capacity of bone and hematopoiesis3. Despite the significant role of the lymphatic system, several aspects of the role of the lymphatics, as well as the molecular mechanisms governing certain physiological parameters and responses remain elusive. Moreover, lymphatic vascular defects are triggering or deteriorating factors in certain pathophysiological conditions. Well-known examples are the primary and secondary lymphedemas, depending on the genetic or non-genetic origin of the disease, respectively, while the role of the lymphatic system on primary tumor growth and metastatic dissemination is pivotal, as it can act as a conduit for metastasis and modulator of immune functions1.
The lag in the study and knowledge of the lymphatic compared to the blood vasculature is mainly due to the later discovery of the lymphatic system in comparison with the blood vascular system and the delay in the identification of lymphatic-specific molecular markers. This has greatly improved in recent decades, leading to the alteration of the conventional picture of the lymphatics at steady state and in diseased conditions1. Similar to angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis is the formation of new lymphatic vessels from pre-existing ones and plays a pivotal role in the development of a wide spectrum of diseases4,5,6. However, unlike angiogenesis, the investigation of lymphangiogenesis has been limited to mostly in vivo models focusing on developmental vessel formation and structural defects in pathological models. The isolation of the lymphatic endothelial cells is important for in vitro studies, and this can be provided by the presented protocol.
Several protocols for lymphatic endothelial isolation from mice have been developed, which require the use of fluorescence-activated cell sorting7. The advantage of the cell sorter, where available, is the higher degree of purity, contrary to bead-based isolation, with the latter providing a higher yield. The protocol utilizes the expression of lymphatic endothelial hyaluronan receptor 1 (LYVE-1), a lymphatic endothelial marker, important for cell trafficking within the lymphatic vessels4,8. Since LYVE-1 expression is limited to the lymphatic capillaries and not the collecting lymphatic vessels, the technique is suitable for the isolation of lymphatic endothelial cells specifically from the lymphatic capillaries, contrary to other lymphatic markers, such as podoplanin, which are expressed uniformly in all lymphatic endothelial cells9. For the protocol, other important lymphatic markers that were not transmembrane, such as Prox1, were excluded.
As the physiological outcome was lymphangiogenesis, which is usually initiated at the lymphatic capillaries, LYVE-1 was selected as a target due to its selectivity in these cells and because the selected antibody provided a high yield. The enzymes used were collagenase type II, which is generally known to be more effective in collagen dissociation than type I10, and dispase, a broader protease, regularly used for dermis-epidermis separation11; however, other enzymes for tissue separation have been reported12,13 and can be used. The goal of this protocol is to describe a method for dermal lymphatic endothelial cell isolation from lymphatic capillaries of adult mice with high yield using magnetic bead purification, especially in places where fluorescence-activated cell sorting is not readily available. The method is suitable for applications where the purity of lymphatic endothelial cells can be compromised for downstream applications.

<table><tbody><tr><td>0.2 &amp;mu;m Syringe Filters</td><td>Fisher Scientific</td><td>09-719C</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>100 mm Tissue Culture Dishes</td><td>Fisher Scientific</td><td>FB012924</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>60 mm Tissue Culture Dishes</td><td>Fisher Scientific</td><td>FB012921</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Animal Hair Clipper</td><td>Wahl</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Antibiotic-Antimycotic Solution 100x</td><td>Fisher Scientific</td><td>15240-062</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Blunt Forceps</td><td>Fine Science Tools</td><td>11992-20</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Bovine Serum Albumin</td><td>Sigma-Aldrich</td><td>A4919</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Cell Strainer 40 &amp;mu;m</td><td>Fisher Scientific</td><td>542040</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Cell Strainer 70 &amp;mu;m</td><td>Fisher Scientific</td><td>542070</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>CO2 Incubator</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Collagen I, High Concentration Rat Tail</td><td>Corning</td><td>354249</td><td>dilute in 0.02 M Acetic Acid in H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O</td></tr><tr><td>Collagenase Type II</td><td>Life Technologies</td><td>17101-015</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Dispase</td><td>Life Technologies</td><td>17105-041</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>DMEM</td><td>Fisher Scientific</td><td>11-995-073</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>DNAse I Solution (2,500 U/mL)</td><td>Thermo Scientific</td><td>90083</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Dynal MPC-L Magnetic Particle Concentrator</td><td>Invitrogen</td><td>120-21D</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>EDTA</td><td>Sigma-Aldrich</td><td>3690</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Endothelial Cell Growth Base Medium &amp;amp; Supplement (LEC medium)</td><td>R&amp;amp;D Systems</td><td>CCM027</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Euthanasia chamber</td><td>Euthanex Corporation</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Fine Forceps</td><td>Fine Science Tools</td><td>11255-20</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Fine Scissors-Sharp</td><td>Fine Science Tools</td><td>14060-10</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>FITC anti-mouse F4/80 Antibody</td><td>Biolegend</td><td>123107</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Goat Anti-Rabbit IgG Magnetic Beads</td><td>New England Biolabs</td><td>S1432S</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>LARC-A E-Z Anesthesia Induction Chamber</td><td>Euthanex Corporation</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>MagnaBind Goat Anti-Rabbit IgG Beads</td><td>Thermo Scientific</td><td>21356</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Paraformaldehyde Solution 4% in PBS</td><td>Fisher Scientific</td><td>AAJ19943K2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS)</td><td>Fisher Scientific</td><td>SH30256FS</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Rabbit Anti-Mouse LYVE-1</td><td>ReliaTech GmbH</td><td>103-PA50</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Rotating/Shaking Incubator</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Round-Bottom Polypropylene Tubes</td><td>Corning</td><td>352063</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Syringe Filters w 0.2 &amp;mu;m Pores</td><td>Fisher Scientific</td><td>09-719C</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Trypsin-EDTA</td><td>Fisher Scientific</td><td>25-300-120</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

murine dermal lymphatic endothelial cell isolation

The lymphatic system participates in the regulation of immune surveillance, lipid absorption, and tissue fluid balance. The isolation of murine lymphatic endothelial cells is an important process for lymphatic research, as it allows the performance of in vitro and biochemical experiments on the isolated cells. Moreover, the development of Cre-lox technology has enabled the tissue-specific deficiency of genes that cannot be globally targeted, leading to the precise determination of their role in the studied tissues. The dissection of the role of certain genes in lymphatic physiology and pathophysiology requires the use of lymphatic-specific promoters, and thus, the experimental verification of the expression levels of the targeted genes.
Methods for efficient isolation of lymphatic endothelial cells from wild-type or transgenic mice enable the use of ex vivo and in vitro assays to study the mechanisms regulating the lymphatic functions and the identification of the expression levels of the studied proteins. We have developed, standardized and present a protocol for the efficient isolation of murine dermal lymphatic endothelial cells (DLECs) via magnetic bead purification based on LYVE-1 expression. The protocol outlined aims to equip researchers with a tool to further understand and elucidate important players of lymphatic endothelial cell functions, especially in facilities where fluorescence-activated cell sorting equipment is not available.

The method was developed to identify the protein expression of a small GTPase, RhoA, the coding gene of which was floxed in both alleles and deleted under the effect of the tamoxifen-inducible lymphatic endothelial-specific promoter Prox1-CreERT2 18. The isolated LECs can be cultured for up to four generations, after which they become senescent. They have been frozen, thawed, and successfully stimulated with angiopoietin-2. Due to the limited number of cell passages, we have no...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Murine Dermal Lymphatic Endothelial Cell Isolation at JoVE.com

Author Spotlight: Magnetic Bead-Based Isolation of Murine Dermal Lymphatic Endothelial Cells

This paper describes a method for magnetic bead-based isolation of murine endothelial cells from dermal lymphatic capillaries. The isolated lymphatic endothelial cells can be used for downstream in vitro experiments and protein expression analysis.

Murine Dermal Lymphatic Endothelial Cell Isolation

The lymphatic system participates in the regulation of immune surveillance, lipid absorption, and tissue fluid balance. The isolation of murine lymphatic ...

murine-dermal-lymphatic-endothelial-cell-isolation

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

1.4K Views.  Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Het onderzoek van onze groep richt zich op het afbakenen van de mechanismen die de fysiologie van endotheelcellen reguleren. Dit protocol beschrijft een methode voor isolatie op basis van magnetische kralen van renale endotheelcellen, met name uit thermische lymfatische capillairen in faciliteiten waar fluorescentie-geactiveerde celsortering niet beschikbaar is. Het protocol maakt de isolatie van lymfatische endotheelcellen van transgene muizen mogelijk om hun fysiologie in vitro te bestudere...

Video: Auteur in de schijnwerpers: Isolatie op basis van magnetische kralen van dermale lymfatische endotheelcellen in muizen

Murine Dermal Fibroblast Isolation by FACS

Fibroblasts are the principle cell type responsible for secreting extracellular matrix and are a critical component of many organs and tissues. Fibroblast physiology and pathology underlie a spectrum of clinical entities, including fibroses in multiple organs, hypertrophic scarring following burns, loss of cardiac function following ischemia, and the formation of cancer stroma. However, fibroblasts remain a poorly characterized type of cell, largely due to their inherent heterogeneity. Existing methods for the isolation of fibroblasts require time in cell culture that profoundly influences cell phenotype and behavior. Consequently, many studies investigating fibroblast biology rely upon in vitro manipulation and do not accurately capture fibroblast behavior in vivo. To overcome this problem, we developed a FACS-based protocol for the isolation of fibroblasts from the dorsal skin of adult mice that does not require cell culture, thereby preserving the physiologic transcriptional and proteomic profile of each cell. Our strategy allows for exclusion of non-mesenchymal lineages via a lineage negative gate (Lin-) rather than a positive selection strategy to avoid pre-selection or enrichment of a subpopulation of fibroblasts expressing specific surface markers and be as inclusive as possible across this heterogeneous cell type.

Fibroblast behavior underlies a spectrum of clinical entities, but they remain poorly characterized, largely due to their inherent heterogeneity. Traditional fibroblast research relies upon in vitro manipulation, masking in vivo fibroblast behavior. We describe a FACS-based protocol for the isolation of mouse skin fibroblasts that does not require cell culture.

Fibroblasts are the principle cell type responsible for secreting extracellular matrix and are a critical component of many organs and tissues. Fibroblast ...

Developmental Biology

Isolation of Mouse Lung Dendritic Cells

Lung dendritic cells (DC) play a fundamental role in sensing invading pathogens 1,2 as well as in the control of tolerogenic responses 3 in the respiratory tract. At least three main subsets of lung dendritic cells have been described in mice: conventional DC (cDC) 4, plasmacytoid DC (pDC) 5 and the IFN-producing killer DC (IKDC) 6,7. The cDC subset is the most prominent DC subset in the lung 8. 
The common marker known to identify DC subsets is CD11c, a type I transmembrane integrin (&beta;2) that is also expressed on monocytes, macrophages, neutrophils and some B cells 9. In some tissues, using CD11c as a marker to identify mouse DC is valid, as in spleen, where most CD11c+ cells represent the cDC subset which expresses high levels of the major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II). However, the lung is a more heterogeneous tissue where beside DC subsets, there is a high percentage of a distinct cell population that expresses high levels of CD11c bout low levels of MHC-II. Based on its characterization and mostly on its expression of F4&#47;80, an splenic macrophage marker, the CD11chiMHC-IIlo lung cell population has been identified as pulmonary macrophages 10 and more recently, as a potential DC precursor 11. 
In contrast to mouse pDC, the study of the specific role of cDC in the pulmonary immune response has been limited due to the lack of a specific marker that could help in the isolation of these cells. Therefore, in this work, we describe a procedure to isolate highly purified mouse lung cDC. The isolation of pulmonary DC subsets represents a very useful tool to gain insights into the function of these cells in response to respiratory pathogens as well as environmental factors that can trigger the host immune response in the lung.

A highly purified preparation of mouse lung dendritic cells is described. Specific emphasis is given to the isolation of conventional dendritic cell subset.

Lung dendritic cells (DC) play a fundamental role in sensing invading pathogens 1,2 as well as in the control of tolerogenic responses 3 in the ...

Immunology and Infection

Isolation of Myeloid Dendritic Cells and Epithelial Cells from Human Thymus

In this protocol we provide a method to isolate dendritic cells (DC) and epithelial cells (TEC) from the human thymus. DC and TEC are the major antigen presenting cell (APC) types found in a normal thymus and it is well established that they play distinct roles during thymic selection. These cells are localized in distinct microenvironments in the thymus and each APC type makes up only a minor population of cells. To further understand the biology of these cell types, characterization of these cell populations is highly desirable but due to their low frequency, isolation of any of these cell types requires an efficient and reproducible procedure. This protocol details a method to obtain cells suitable for characterization of diverse cellular properties. Thymic tissue is mechanically disrupted and after different steps of enzymatic digestion, the resulting cell suspension is enriched using a Percoll density centrifugation step. For isolation of myeloid DC (CD11c+), cells from the low-density fraction (LDF) are immunoselected by magnetic cell sorting. Enrichment of TEC populations (mTEC, cTEC) is achieved by depletion of hematopoietic (CD45hi) cells from the low-density Percoll cell fraction allowing their subsequent isolation via fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) using specific cell markers. The isolated cells can be used for different downstream applications.

This protocol details a method to isolate antigen presenting cells from human thymus via different steps of enzymatic digestion of the tissue followed by density centrifugation of the single cell suspension and finally magnetic and/or FACS sorting of the cell populations of interest.

In this protocol we provide a method to isolate dendritic cells (DC) and epithelial cells (TEC) from the human thymus. DC and TEC are the major antigen ...

Isolation of Murine Lymph Node Stromal Cells

Secondary lymphoid organs including lymph nodes are composed of stromal cells that provide a structural environment for homeostasis, activation and differentiation of lymphocytes. Various stromal cell subsets have been identified by the expression of the adhesion molecule CD31 and glycoprotein podoplanin (gp38), T zone reticular cells or fibroblastic reticular cells, lymphatic endothelial cells, blood endothelial cells and FRC-like pericytes within the double negative cell population. For all populations different functions are described including, separation and lining of different compartments, attraction of and interaction with different cell types, filtration of the draining fluidics and contraction of the lymphatic vessels. In the last years, different groups have described an additional role of stromal cells in orchestrating and regulating cytotoxic T cell responses potentially dangerous for the host. 
Lymph nodes are complex structures with many different cell types and therefore require a appropriate procedure for isolation of the desired cell populations. Currently, protocols for the isolation of lymph node stromal cells rely on enzymatic digestion with varying incubation times; however, stromal cells and their surface molecules are sensitive to these enzymes, which results in loss of surface marker expression and cell death. Here a short enzymatic digestion protocol combined with automated mechanical disruption to obtain viable single cells suspension of lymph node stromal cells maintaining their surface molecule expression is proposed.

Isolation of lymph node stromal cells is a multistep procedure including enzymatic digestion and mechanical disaggregation to obtain fibroblastic reticular cells, lymphatic and blood endothelial cells. In the described procedure, a short digestion is combined with automated mechanical disaggregation to minimize surface marker degradation of viable lymph node stromal cells.

Secondary lymphoid organs including lymph nodes are composed of stromal cells that provide a structural environment for homeostasis, activation and ...

Isolation of Infiltrating Leukocytes from Mouse Skin Using Enzymatic Digest and Gradient Separation

Dissociating murine skin into a single cell suspension is essential for downstream cellular analysis such as the characterization of infiltrating immune cells in rodent models of skin inflammation. Here, we describe a protocol for the digestion of mouse skin in a nutrient-rich solution with collagenase D, followed by separation of hematopoietic cells using a discontinuous density gradient. Cells thus obtained can be used for in vitro studies, in vivo transfer, and other downstream cellular and molecular analyses including flow cytometry. This protocol is an effective and economical alternative to expensive mechanical dissociators, specialized separation columns, and harsher trypsin- and dispase-based digestion methods, which may compromise cellular viability or density of surface proteins relevant for phenotypic characterization or cellular function. As shown here in our representative data, this protocol produced highly viable cells, contained specific immune cell subsets, and had no effect on integrity of common surface marker proteins used in flow cytometric analysis.

This protocol describes enzymatic digestion of mouse skin in nutrient-rich medium followed by gradient separation to isolate leukocytes. Cells thus derived can be used for diverse downstream applications. This is an effective, economical, and improved alternative to tissue dissociation machines and harsher trypsin and dispase-based tissue digestion protocols.

Dissociating murine skin into a single cell suspension is essential for downstream cellular analysis such as the characterization of infiltrating immune ...

Myeloid Cell Isolation from Mouse Skin and Draining Lymph Node Following Intradermal Immunization with Live Attenuated Plasmodium Sporozoites

Malaria infection begins when the sporozoite stage of Plasmodium is inoculated into the skin of a mammalian host through a mosquito bite. The highly motile parasite not only reaches the liver to invade hepatocytes and transform into erythrocyte-infective form. It also migrates into the skin and to the proximal lymph node draining the injection site, where it can be recognized and degraded by resident and/or recruited myeloid cells. Intravital imaging reported the early recruitment of brightly fluorescent Lys-GFP positive leukocytes in the skin and the interactions between sporozoites and CD11c+ cells in the draining lymph node. We present here an efficient procedure to recover, identify and enumerate the myeloid cell subsets that are recruited to the mouse skin and draining lymph node following intradermal injection of immunizing doses of sporozoites in a murine model. Phenotypic characterization using multi-parametric flow cytometry provides a reliable assay to assess early dynamic cellular changes during inflammatory response to Plasmodium infection.

Myeloid Cell Isolation from Mouse Skin and Draining Lymph Node Following Intradermal Immunization with Live Attenuated Plasmodium Sporozoites

We describe here a protocol for isolating myeloid cells from mouse skin and draining lymph node following intradermal injection of Plasmodium sporozoites. Flow cytometry of collected cells provides a reliable assay to characterize the skin and draining lymph node inflammatory response to the parasite.

Malaria infection begins when the sporozoite stage of Plasmodium is inoculated into the skin of a mammalian host through a mosquito bite. The highly ...

Isolation of Human Lymphatic Endothelial Cells by Multi-parameter Fluorescence-activated Cell Sorting

Lymphatic system disorders such as primary lymphedema, lymphatic malformations and lymphatic tumors are rare conditions that cause significant morbidity but little is known about their biology. Isolating highly pure human lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) from diseased and healthy tissue would facilitate studies of the lymphatic endothelium at genetic, molecular and cellular levels. It is anticipated that these investigations may reveal targets for new therapies that may change the clinical management of these conditions. A protocol describing the isolation of human foreskin LECs and lymphatic malformation lymphatic endothelial cells (LM LECs) is presented. To obtain a single cell suspension tissue was minced and enzymatically treated using dispase II and collagenase II. The resulting single cell suspension was then labelled with antibodies to cluster of differentiation (CD) markers CD34, CD31, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-3 (VEGFR-3) and PODOPLANIN. Stained viable cells were sorted on a fluorescently activated cell sorter (FACS) to separate the CD34LowCD31PosVEGFR-3PosPODOPLANINPos LM LEC population from other endothelial and non-endothelial cells. The sorted LM LECs were cultured and expanded on fibronectin-coated flasks for further experimental use.

The goal of this protocol is to isolate lymphatic endothelial cells lining human lymphatic malformation cyst-like vessels and foreskins using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Subsequent cell culturing and expansion of these cells permits a new level of experimental sophistication for genetic, proteomic, functional and cell differentiation studies.

Lymphatic system disorders such as primary lymphedema, lymphatic malformations and lymphatic tumors are rare conditions that cause significant morbidity ...

Medicine

Digestion of the Murine Liver for a Flow Cytometric Analysis of Lymphatic Endothelial Cells

Within the liver, lymphatic vessels are found within the portal triad, and their described function is to remove interstitial fluid from the liver to the lymph nodes where cellular debris and antigens can be surveyed. We are very interested in understanding how the lymphatic vasculature might be involved in inflammation and immune cell function within the liver. However, very little has been published establishing digestion protocols for the isolation of lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) from the liver or specific markers that can be used to evaluate liver LECs on a per cell basis. Therefore, we optimized a method for the digestion and staining of the liver in order to evaluate the LEC population in the liver. We are confident that the method outlined here will be useful for the identification and isolation of LECs from the liver and will strengthen our understanding of how LECs respond to the liver microenvironment.

The goal of this protocol is to identify lymphatic endothelial cell populations within the liver using described markers. We utilize collagenase IV and DNase and a gentle mincing of tissue, combined with flow cytometry, to identify a distinct population of lymphatic endothelial cells.

Within the liver, lymphatic vessels are found within the portal triad, and their described function is to remove interstitial fluid from the liver to the ...

Isolation of Primary Mouse Lung Endothelial Cells

Endothelial cells play critical roles in the regulation of vascular tone, immunity, coagulation, and permeability. Endothelial dysfunction occurs in medical conditions including diabetes, atherosclerosis, sepsis, and acute lung injury. A reliable and reproducible method to isolate pure endothelial cells from mice is needed to investigate the role of endothelial cells in the pathogenesis of these and other conditions. In this protocol, lung microvascular endothelial cells were prepared from 5-7 day old neonatal mouse pups. Lungs are harvested, minced, and enzymatically digested with collagenase I, and released cells are cultured overnight. Endothelial cells are then selected using anti-PECAM1 (CD-31) IgG conjugated to magnetic beads, and cells again are cultured to confluence. A secondary cell selection then occurs with anti-ICAM2 (CD-102) IgG conjugated to magnetic beads to increase the purity of the endothelial cells, and the cells again are cultured to confluence. The entire process takes approximately 7-10 days before the cells can be used for experimentation. This simple protocol yields highly pure (purity &#62;92%) endothelial cells that can be immediately used for in vitro studies, including the studies focused on endothelial cytokine and chemokine production, leukocyte-endothelial interactions, endothelial coagulation pathways, and endothelial permeability. With many knockouts and transgenic mouse lines available, this procedure also lends itself to understanding the function of specific genes expressed by endothelial cells in healthy and pathologic responses to injury, infection, and inflammation.

In this article, primary lung endothelial cells were isolated and cultured from neonatal mice.

Endothelial cells play critical roles in the regulation of vascular tone, immunity, coagulation, and permeability. Endothelial dysfunction occurs in ...

Establishing In Vitro LLEC Cultures Using Magnetic Cell Selection

Harvest and Primary Culture of Leptomeningeal Lymphatic Endothelial Cells

Leptomeningeal lymphatic endothelial cells (LLECs) are a recently discovered intracranial cellular population with a unique distribution clearly distinct from peripheral lymphatic endothelial cells. Their cellular function and clinical implications remain largely unknown. Consequently, the availability of a supply of LLECs is essential for conducting functional research in vitro. However, there is currently no existing protocol for harvesting and culturing LLECs in vitro.
This study successfully harvested LLECs using a multi-step protocol, which included coating the flask with fibronectin, dissecting the leptomeninges with the assistance of a microscope, enzymatically digesting the leptomeninges to prepare a single-cell suspension, inducing the expansion of LLECs with vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C), and selecting lymphatic vessel hyaluronic receptor-1 (LYVE-1) positive cells through magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS). This process ultimately led to the establishment of a primary culture. The purity of the LLECs was confirmed through immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometric analysis, with a purity level exceeding 95%. This multi-step protocol has demonstrated reproducibility and feasibility, which will greatly facilitate the exploration of the cellular function and clinical implications of LLECs.

Author Spotlight: Unveiling Cellular Functions and Potential Clinical Implications of Leptomeningeal Lymphatic Endothelial Cells 

Leptomeningeal lymphatic endothelial cells (LLECs), a recently identified intracranial cell type, have poorly understood functions. This study presents a reproducible protocol for harvesting LLECs from mice and establishing in vitro primary cultures. This protocol is designed to enable researchers to delve into the cellular functions and potential clinical implications of LLECs.

Leptomeningeal lymphatic endothelial cells (LLECs) are a recently discovered intracranial cellular population with a unique distribution clearly distinct ...

Murine Dermal Lymphatic Endothelial Cell Isolation

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