Lymphedema: From Pathogenesis to Treatment

Dear Colleagues,

Lymphedema arises from insufficiency in lymphatic transport and progresses through an integrated cascade of lymphatic vascular dysfunction, immune activation, stromal remodeling, and adipose tissue expansion. Although clinical management has advanced, validated mechanistic biomarkers and disease-modifying therapies remain limited, reflecting critical gaps in our understanding of how lymph flow, valve integrity, collecting vessel contractility, and lymphatic endothelial–stromal crosstalk deteriorate over time. This Special Issue, “Lymphedema: From Pathogenesis to Treatment,” aims to highlight robust mechanistic and translational studies that bridge fundamental lymphatic biology with therapeutic innovation.

We invite original research and reviews addressing genetic and epigenetic determinants of primary lymphedema, as well as post-surgical, radiation- and inflammation-induced secondary lymphedema. Particular emphasis is placed on the roles of lymphatic endothelial cells, lymphatic muscle cells, perivascular nerves, immune cells, fibroblasts, and adipocyte progenitors in disease initiation and progression. Topics of interest include mechanotransduction and shear stress signaling, valve remodeling, neuro-immune regulation of collecting lymphatic pumping, extracellular matrix fibrosis, and adipose tissue reprogramming. Studies employing intravital imaging, single-cell or spatial omics, functional lymphatic assays, and well-characterized patient cohorts are strongly encouraged. We also welcome contributions on emerging therapeutic strategies, including pharmacological targets, exercise and rehabilitation paradigms, microsurgical approaches, and gene- or cell-based therapies.

Dr. Kangsan Roh
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Lymphatics is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• lymphedema
• lymphatic transport insufficiency
• collecting lymphatic vessel contractility
• lymphatic valve remodeling
• mechanotransduction and shear stress signaling
• immune–lymphatic interactions
• stromal remodeling and fibrosis
• adipose tissue deposition and reprogramming
• intravital imaging
• single-cell and spatial omics