Sendai. A research team from Tohoku University has identified a previously unknown structure in lymph nodes: intranodal lymphovenous shunts (inLVS). These direct connections between lymph sinuses and veins within the lymph nodes provide a bypass for lymph fluid – a finding that fundamentally challenges the previous model of unidirectional lymph drainage. The discovery was published on February 4, 2026, in the Journal of Pathology.
The team led by Dr. Ariunbuyan Sukhbaatar, Prof. Tsuyoshi Sugiura, and Prof. Tetsuya Kodama examined all 22 types of lymph nodes in the body using high-resolution imaging (micro-computed tomography, iron nanoparticle contrast) in a mouse model that closely resembles human lymph node structures.
Previously, it was assumed that lymph fluid exclusively enters the lymph sinus via high endothelial venules (HEVs) and ultimately empties into the subclavian vein. However, the new shunts show that lymph fluid can flow directly into veins within the lymph node.
"The intranodal lymphovenous shunt is a bypass that completely changes our understanding of lymph movement," explains Sukhbaatar. The discovery has far-reaching implications.
- Lymphedema: Swelling that occurs after cancer surgery (e.g., breast or uterine cancer) could be specifically reduced by modulating or closing the shunts.
- Lymph Node Metastasis: The shunts offer a potential direct route for cancer cells into the bloodstream – a new starting point for preventing distant metastases.
- Therapy Development: Precise drug delivery systems targeting the lymphatic system could minimize side effects and increase efficacy.
"This finding could trigger a paradigm shift in immunology, oncology, and regenerative medicine," says Kodama.
The study was conducted at the Graduate School of Dental Medicine and Biomedical Engineering at Tohoku University.
Verified source:
- https://www.tohoku.ac.jp/en/press/discovery_reshapes_understanding_of_lympathic_physiology.html (Pressemitteilung Universität Tohoku, 9. Februar 2026)
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