Lymphatic Vessels Discovered in Central Nervous System

NIH | JUNE 20, 2015

Researchers of the University of Virginia School of Medicine recently discovered a series of channels that surround blood vessels within the brains of mice. This system, managed by the brain’s glial cells, was termed the glymphatic system. It moves cerebrospinal fluid, a clear liquid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, quickly and deeply thoughout the brain, removing waste.

The scientists examined layers of tissue, known as meninges, that cover the brain and contain blood vessels and cerebrospinal fluid. While searching for structures associated with the meninges, the researchers noticed vessel-like patterns. These vessels contained markers of the lymphatic system.

The brain, part of the central nervous system, has blood vessels but has been thought to lack lymphatic vessels, as they’ve never been found.

The discovery of a pathway for immune cells to exit the central nervous system raises the question of whether disruption of this route may be involved in neurological disorders that are associated with immune system dysfunction, such as multiple sclerosis, meningitis, and Alzheimer’s disease.

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