Prox1 induces new lymphatic vessel formation and promotes nerve reconstruction in a mouse model of sciatic nerve crush injury

The peripheral nervous system lacks lymphatic vessels and is protected by the blood–nerve barrier, which prevents lymphocytes and antibodies from entering the neural parenchyma. Peripheral nerve injury results in degeneration of the distal nerve and myelin degeneration causes macrophage aggregation, T lymphocyte infiltration, major histocompatibility complex class II antigen expression, and immunoglobulin G deposition in the nerve membrane,...