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REVIEW article
Front. Cell Dev. Biol.
Sec. Molecular and Cellular Pathology
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fcell.2025.1537050
This article is part of the Research Topic Lymphatic System: Organ Specific Functions in Health and Disease, Volume II View all 9 articles
Tissue Engineering Approaches for Lymphedema: Biomaterial Innovations and Clinical Potential
Provisionally accepted- New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, United States
The lymphatic system plays a critical role in maintaining fluid balance and immune regulation. Lymphedema, and other lymphatic disorders, highlight the need for advanced therapeutic approaches, including tissue engineering. This review examines the latest developments in artificial lymphatic tissue engineering, focusing on scaffold materials, lymphangiogenic factors, and regenerative strategies to replicate the intricacy of lymphatic vessels and nodes. We conducted a thorough literature review of current practices and applications in lymphatic tissue engineering. Findings show that biomaterials such as hydrogels, decellularized matrices, and synthetic polymers provide effective scaffolds for lymphatic endothelial cell proliferation and lymphangiogenesis.Advances in growth factor delivery and stem-cell based therapies have further enhanced the viability of engineered lymphatic tissues. Despite promising progress, challenges in achieving functional replication of lymphatic structures and clinical translation of research remain. Ongoing research must address scaffold biocompatibility, optimized growth factor targeting, and scalable production to advance therapeutic options for lymphatic disorders. This review underscores the potential for transformative patient outcomes through innovative bioengineering solutions.
Keywords: Lymphedema, lymphatics, Tissue Engineering, Bioengineering, Biomaterials
Received: 29 Nov 2024; Accepted: 25 Mar 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Deshpande, Dornbrand-Lo, Phondge, Kelly and Wong. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Alex K. Wong, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, United States
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.