Characterization of the transcriptional heterogeneity present within the rat lymphatic and blood vasculatures

The goal and objective of this study was to identify the transcriptional profiles differentiating the artery, vein, and lymphatic lineages in the adult rat vasculature with particular emphasis on the unique elements of the collecting lymphatic vessel transcriptome. A 2 x 3 experimental design was utilized in which parallel arteries, veins, and lymphatics from two different tissue beds were examined. The rat thoracic duct was selected as a large, post-nodal collecting lymphatic vessel that exhibits excellent conduit-type behavior while the rat mesenteric lymphatic was selected as a smaller, pre-nodal collecting lymphatic vessel that exhibits excellent pump behavior (see Gashev AA, et al. Microcirculation. 2004 Sep;11(6):477-92. [PMID: 15371129]). The axillary artery and vein were selected for comparison to the thoracic duct due to their similar anatomical position distal to the common junction of the lymphatic and venous vascular trees and represent a large artery and large vein, respectively. The mesentery artery and vein were selected for comparison to the mesenteric lymphatic vessels due to their parallel position within the mesenteric vasculature and represent a small atery and small vein, respectively.本研究旨在鉴定成年大鼠脉管系统中区分动脉、静脉及淋巴管谱系的转录谱，重点关注收集淋巴管转录组的独特特征。本研究采用2×3实验设计，对来自两种不同组织床的配对动脉、静脉与淋巴管开展检测。研究选取大鼠胸导管作为大型结后收集淋巴管，其具备优异的导管型功能特性；同时选取大鼠肠系膜淋巴管作为小型结前收集淋巴管，其拥有出色的泵功能特性（详见Gashev AA等发表于《Microcirculation》2004年9月;11(6):477-492的研究，PMID:15371129）。为与胸导管进行比对，研究选取腋动脉与腋静脉，二者分别位于淋巴管与静脉血管树的共同汇合处远端，解剖位置相近，分别代表大型动脉与大型静脉。为与肠系膜淋巴管进行比对，研究选取肠系膜动脉与肠系膜静脉，二者在肠系膜脉管系统中位置平行，分别代表小型动脉与小型静脉。