Tissue-resident macrophages have been implicated in the organogenesis and regeneration of several organs. However, the origin and function of organ-specific macrophages is not clear. Now, Paul Riley and colleagues ascertain the contribution of mouse cardiac macrophages during cardiac lymphatic development. Using a combination of techniques to profile the temporal-spatial distribution of macrophages in the developing heart, the authors show that macrophages first colonise the heart at around E10.5 before cardiac lymphatics begin to form. From E12.5, during the onset of cardiac lymphangiogenesis, macrophages are located proximal to and in contact with the growing lymphatic vessels. The researchers employ inducible genetic models to label populations from the extra-embryonic yolk sac or intra-embryonic haematopoietic stem cells of the foetal liver, to show that macrophages associated with the developing lymphatics are largely derived from the yolk sac. Furthermore, genetic deletion of this specific macrophage population disrupts lymphatic growth and patterning, shown by shorter lymphatic vessels and fewer junctions. By modelling lymphatic growth in vitro, they identify that lymphatic endothelial cells sprout in response to hyaluronan produced by macrophages. Together, these data show that yolk-sac derived cardiac macrophages regulate cardiac lymphatic development through hyaluronan and further support macrophages as a potential therapeutic target for cardiovascular disease and injury.
Macrophage remodellers of lymphatic vessels
- Split-screen
- Views Icon Views
-
Article Versions Icon
Versions
- Version of Record 03 February 2021
- Share Icon Share
-
Tools Icon
Tools
- Search Site
Macrophage remodellers of lymphatic vessels. Development 1 February 2021; 148 (3): e148_e0301. doi:
Download citation file:
Advertisement
Cited by
Biologists @ 100 - join us in Liverpool in March 2025

We are excited to invite you to a unique scientific conference, celebrating the 100-year anniversary of The Company of Biologists, and bringing together our different communities. The conference will incorporate the Spring Meetings of the BSCB and the BSDB, the JEB Symposium Sensory Perception in a Changing World and a DMM programme on antimicrobial resistance. Find out more and register by 28 February 2025 to join us in March 2025 in Liverpool, UK.
Call for papers – Lifelong Development: the Maintenance, Regeneration and Plasticity of Tissues

Development invites you to submit your latest research to our upcoming special issue – Lifelong Development: the Maintenance, Regeneration and Plasticity of Tissues. This issue will be coordinated by Guest Editors Meritxell Huch (Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Germany) and Mansi Srivastava (Harvard University and Museum of Comparative Zoology, USA), working alongside our team of academic Editors. Submit your articles by 15 May 2025.
A case for broadening our view of mechanism in developmental biology

In this Perspective, B. Duygu Özpolat and colleagues survey researchers on their views on what it takes to infer mechanism in developmental biology. They examine what factors shape our idea of what we mean by ‘mechanism’ and suggest a path forward that embraces a broad outlook on the diversity of studies that advance knowledge in our field.
In preprints
Did you know that Development publishes perspectives on recent preprints? These articles help our readers navigate the ever-growing preprint literature. We welcome proposals for ‘In preprints’ articles, so please do get in touch if you’d like to contribute.