Lymphatic vessels in vascularized human corneas: immunohistochemical investigation using LYVE-1 and podoplanin.

Abstract

Immunohistochemistry with novel lymph-endothelium markers and ultrastructural analyses indicate the existence of lymphatic vessels in vascularized human corneas. Human corneal lymphangiogenesis appears to be correlated with the degree of corneal hemangiogenesis and may at least partially be mediated by VEGF-C and its receptor VEGFR3.