中国神经再生研究(英文版) ›› 2026, Vol. 21 ›› Issue (2): 534-541.doi: 10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-24-01013

• 综述:神经损伤修复保护与再生 • 上一篇    下一篇

测量淋巴功能:评估工具包

  

  • 出版日期:2026-02-15 发布日期:2025-05-20

Measuring glymphatic function: Assessing the toolkit

Koushikk Ayyappan1 , Lucas Unger2, 3, Philip Kitchen2, 3, *, Roslyn M. Bill2, 3, *, Mootaz M. Salman1, 4, 5, *   

  1. 1 Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK;  2 College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK;  3 Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence and the School of Biosciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK;  4 BHF Oxford Centre of Research Excellence, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK;  5 Kavli Institute for NanoScience Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
  • Online:2026-02-15 Published:2025-05-20
  • Contact: Philip Kitchen, PhD, p.kitchen1@aston.ac.uk; Roslyn M. Bill, DPhil, r.m.bill@aston.ac.uk; Mootaz M. Salman, PhD, mootaz.salman@dpag.ox.ac.uk.
  • Supported by:
    LU was supported by the European Union Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme (Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 847419). PK was supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council via a Discovery Fellowship (BB/W00934X/1), and the Aston University RKE Pump Priming Programme. The Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence (AIME) is funded by UKRI’s Research England as part of their Expanding Excellence in England (E3) fund. RMB was supported by a UKRI Frontier Research Grant EP/Y023684/1 (following assessment as an ERC Advanced grant, FORTIFY, ERC-2022-ADG-101096882 under the UK Government Guarantee scheme) and acknowledged a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Pioneer Award (BB/Y512874/1). MMS was supported by a Medical Research Council Career Development Award (MR/W027119/1) and acknowledged support from the BHF Centre of Research Excellence, University of Oxford (grant code: RE/24/130024) and a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Pioneer Award (BB/Y512874/1).

摘要: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5683-1706 (Mootaz M. Salman)

Abstract: Glymphatic flow has been proposed to clear brain waste while we sleep. Cerebrospinal fluid moves from periarterial to perivenous spaces through the parenchyma, with subsequent cerebrospinal fluid drainage to dural lymphatics. Glymphatic disruption is associated with neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and traumatic brain injury. Therefore, investigating its structure and function may improve understanding of pathophysiology. The recent controversy on whether glymphatic flow increases or decreases during sleep demonstrates that the glymphatic hypothesis remains contentious. However, discrepancies between different studies could be due to limitations of the specific techniques used and confounding factors. Here, we review the methods used to study glymphatic function and provide a toolkit from which researchers can choose. We conclude that tracer analysis has been useful, ex vivo techniques are unreliable, and in vivo imaging is still limited. Finally, we explore the potential for future methods and highlight the need for in vitro models, such as microfluidic devices, which may address technique limitations and enable progression of the field.

Key words: aquaporin-4, cerebrospinal fluid, efflux, glymphatics, imaging, influx, methods, microfluidics, parenchyma, periarterial, perivenous, tracer