Lymphatic System and Bone Disorders

This program studies involvement of the lymphatic system in the regulation of osteoclast function and the pathogenesis of chronic arthritis. We demonstrated that good lymphatic drainage plays a critical beneficial role in limiting the severity of RA joint diseases. Recently, we have extended our study to osteoarthritis, especially aged-related osteoarthritis. We hypothesize that the synovial lymphatic system is important for maintaining joint fluid homeostasis and that osteoarthritis is accompanied by impaired joint lymphatic clearance and improvement of lymphatic function will attenuate joint tissue damage in osteoarthritis. Since there is no effective therapy currently for patients with osteoarthritis, targeting lymphatic may represent a new strategy for treating osteoarthritis by removing catabolic factors from affected joints. 

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