Isolation and characterization of lymphatic endothelial cells from human glossal lymphangioma

Abnormal lymphangiogenesis is associated with several diseases such as tumor metastasis and lymphangioma. Human lymphangioma originated from the transformation of lymphatic endothelium is a benign malformation of lymphatic vessels and its pathogenesis has up to date not been illuminated and its cell model has also not been established. An optimized method was used to isolate lymphatic endothelial cells from human glossal lymphangioma (GL-LECs) and GL-LECs were further primarily cultured and expanded. GL-LECs were of typical cobblestone appearance when they reached confluence. The Weible-palade body was observed in the GL-LECs cytoplasm. Almost all GL-LECs were strongly positive for specific lymphatic markers FLT-4, LYVE-1 and prox-1 by immunocytochemistry. Furthermore, three-dimension tube-like capillaries of GL-LECs resembled the lymphatic system in vivo, and the GL-LECs spheroids sprouted radically out to form three-dimensional buds when embedded in the cultured BME. These results indicated that high purity GL-LECs were successfully isolated and expanded. They had the abilities of tube formation and differentiation in vitro, which provide a favorable cell model for further uncovering the pathogenesis of human lymphangiomas.