Human lymphatic organoids reconstruct convergent developmental routes to functional lymphatic vessels

Human pluripotent stem cell–derived lymphatic organoids reconstruct functional lymphatic vessel development, forming capillary-like networks and enabling interstitial tracer uptake after transplantation.

• Why it matters: Human lymphatic specification and how distinct developmental origins shape vessel function are poorly defined, limiting mechanistic insight and disease modeling.
• What they did: Using single-cell and spatial analyses of human embryos, the study identified convergence on venous endothelial intermediates, then built 3D organoids via two mesodermal routes and benchmarked them to human fetal lymphatic endothelium.
• The result: The organoids developed button-like junctions, supported immune-cell interactions and antigen accumulation, and after transplantation showed interstitial tracer uptake and transport.

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