Obesity is a key risk factor for metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, and although we understand the mechanisms regulating weight and energy balance, the causes of some forms of obesity remain enigmatic. Despite the well-established connections between lymphatics and lipids, and the fact that intestinal lacteals play key roles in dietary fat absorption, the function of the lymphatic vasculature in adipose metabolism has only recently been recognized. It is well established that angiogenesis is tightly associated with the outgrowth of adipose tissue, as expanding adipose tissue requires increased nutrient supply from blood vessels. Results supporting a crosstalk between lymphatic vessels and adipose tissue, and linking lymphatic function with metabolic diseases, obesity, and adipose tissue, also started to accumulate in the last years. Here we review our current knowledge of the mechanisms by which defective lymphatics contribute to obesity and fat accumulation in mouse models, as well as our understanding of the lymphatic-adipose tissue relationship.

中文翻译：

---

淋巴管系统：其在脂肪代谢和肥胖中的作用

肥胖是代谢和心血管疾病的关键风险因素，尽管我们了解调节体重和能量平衡的机制，但某些形式的肥胖的原因仍然是谜。尽管在淋巴管和脂质之间建立了良好的联系，并且肠道乳脂在饮食脂肪吸收中起着关键作用，但淋巴管系统在脂肪代谢中的功能只是最近才被认识到。众所周知，血管生成与脂肪组织的生长紧密相关，因为扩张的脂肪组织需要增加来自血管的营养供应。在最近几年中，支持淋巴管与脂肪组织之间的串扰以及将淋巴功能与代谢性疾病，肥胖症和脂肪组织联系起来的结果也开始积累。