title: Tissue-engineered lymphatic graft for the treatment of lymphedema.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lymphedema is a chronic debilitating condition and curative treatment is yet to be found. Tissue engineering approach, which combines cellular components, scaffold, and molecular signals hold great potential in the treatment of secondary lymphedema with the advent of lymphatic graft to reconstruct damaged collecting lymphatic vessel. This review highlights the ideal characteristics of lymphatic graft, the limitation and challenges faced, and the approaches in developing tissue-engineered lymphatic graft.
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature on tissue engineering of lymphatic system and lymphatic tissue biology was reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prime challenge in the design and manufacturing of this graft is producing endothelialized conduit with intraluminal valves. Suitable scaffold material is needed to ensure stability and functionality of the construct. Endothelialization of the construct can be enhanced via biofunctionalization and nanotopography, which mimics extracellular matrix. Nanocomposite polymers with improved performance over existing biomaterials are likely to benefit the development of lymphatic graft.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With the in-depth understanding of tissue engineering, nanotechnology, and improved knowledge on the biology of lymphatic regeneration, the aspiration to develop successful lymphatic graft is well achievable.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, UCL Centre for Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Muholan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kanapathy
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, UCL Centre for Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nikhil M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, UCL Centre for Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Deepak M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Kalaskar
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, UCL Centre for Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine, University College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Afshin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mosahebi
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre, New York.
authors.forename: Babak J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Mehrara
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, UCL Centre for Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine, University College London, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: a.seifalian@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Alexander M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Seifalian
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000502:physiology / Q000637:transplantation*; D008209:Lymphedema / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D012038:Regeneration; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Lymphatic graft; Lymphatic regeneration; Lymphedema; Nanotechnology; Tissue engineering