The human lymphatic system is a huge network of tubes that drain and transfer protein-rich fluid from tissues to lymph nodes. When the machinery malfunctions and the lymphatic vessels fail to drain properly, fluid builds up in the tissues, causing painful swelling known as lymphedema.
In many neurodegenerative diseases, aberrant proteins build up and spread throughout the brain over time. But aggregation or propagation—which comes first? Japanese researchers offer some fresh perspectives on the mechanism underlying Parkinson's illness.
In a study published recently in C
Wasteosomes, structures that act as storage facilities for waste products from the brain, are used to demonstrate the malfunction of the glymphatic system, a recently identified system that is a crucial brain-cleaning mechanism.