Endothelial cells are the building blocks of the blood vascular system and exhibit well-characterized sexually dimorphic phenotypes with regard to chromosomal and hormonal sex, imparting innate genetic and physiological differences between male and female vascular systems and cardiovascular disease. However, even though females are predominantly affected by disorders of lymphatic vascular function, we lack a comprehensive understanding of the effects of sex and sex hormones on lymphatic growth, function, and dysfunction. Here, we attempt to comprehensively evaluate the current understanding of sex as a biological variable influencing lymphatic biology. We first focus on elucidating innate and fundamental differences between the sexes in lymphatic function and development. Next, we delve into lymphatic disease and explore the potential underpinnings toward bias prevalence in the female population. Lastly, we incorporate more broadly the role of the lymphatic system in sex-biased diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, reproductive disorders, and autoimmune diseases to explore whether and how sex differences may influence lymphatic function in the context of these pathologies.

中文翻译：

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性别差异背景下的淋巴功能和功能障碍。

内皮细胞是血管系统的基石，在染色体和激素性别方面表现出特征鲜明的两性表型，赋予男性和女性血管系统和心血管疾病之间先天遗传和生理差异。然而，尽管女性主要受淋巴血管功能障碍的影响，但我们缺乏对性和性激素对淋巴生长、功能和功能障碍的影响的全面了解。在这里，我们试图全面评估当前对性别作为影响淋巴生物学的生物学变量的理解。我们首先专注于阐明两性在淋巴功能和发育方面的先天和根本差异。下一个，我们深入研究淋巴疾病，并探索女性人群偏倚流行的潜在基础。最后，我们更广泛地结合了淋巴系统在癌症、心血管疾病、生殖障碍和自身免疫性疾病等性别偏向疾病中的作用，以探讨性别差异是否以及如何影响这些病理学背景下的淋巴功能。