Fetal anatomy of peripheral lymphatic vessels: a D2‐40 immunohistochemical study using an 18‐week human fetus (CRL 155 mm)

Abstract

We demonstrated fetal peripheral lymphatic vessels (LVs) using D2-40 immunohistochemistry in a whole female fetus (18 weeks of gestation, CRL 155 mm) except for the head. There were abundant LVs in the thyroid gland, lung, stomach, small intestine, rectum and pancreas, whereas no LVs were seen in the parathyroid gland, spleen and adrenal cortex. In the liver, except for the gallbladder bed, LVs were still restricted to around hilar thick portal veins and around the hepatic vein terminals. Subcutaneous LVs were well developed throughout the body even in areas where no or few perforating LVs connected with the deep LVs. The diaphragm contained abundant, dilated LVs in the pleural half of its thickness. LVs were also seen not only along supplying arteries of muscles and cartilage but also along the epimysium and perichondrium. LVs ran in a space between the obliquus internus and transversus abdominis but not between the obliquus internus and obliquus externus. Some tight connective tissues such as the sacrotuberous ligament contained abundant LVs. The intervertebral foramen contained a lymphatic plexus. The present observations provide a better understanding of peripheral lymphatic development. The fetal lymphatic morphology seems not to represent a mini-version of the adult morphology.

Dense distribution of macrophages in flexor aspects of the hand and foot of mid-term human fetuses

“…Most of the positive lymphatic vessels were located in subcutaneous loose connective tissue, as described previously by our group [21]. Immunoreactivity for podoplanin was also demonstrated in connective tissues by Jin et al [22].…”

Expression of the lymphatic marker podoplanin (D2-40) in human fetal eyes

“…So far, its expression in the human fetal eye has only been reported in the conjunctival lymphatics and the optic nerve sheaths in four eyes of 10 and 15 WoG (Cho et al, 2012). Although D2-40 antigen expression was characterized in an 18 week old fetus, the ocular structures were not investigated (Jin et al, 2010b).…”

“…In fetuses of 12, 15, and 18 weeks of gestations germ cells (and Sertoli cells but not ovarian follicles undergoing meiosis) were positive for D2-40 (Jin et al, 2010a). Analysis of D2-40 in a 18 week old female fetus showed peripheral lymphatic vessels in different tissues/organs as well as a non-lymphatic immunolabelling in tissue around the urinary bladder, the uterine tube and the basal layer of the skin epithelium (Jin et al, 2010b). The immunoreactivity of the basal epithelial layer of the skin is similar to our observations in the conjunctiva and cornea.…”

Fetal Topographical Anatomy of the Upper Abdominal Lymphatics: Its Specific Features in Comparison With Other Abdominopelvic Regions

“…Thus, it seems likely that the fetal upper abdominal lymphatic vessels develop along the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and celiac trunk (CT). However, Jin et al (2010) described that fetal visceral lymphatic vessels do not usually run along the artery and vein.…”