Are there lymphatic vessels in the placenta?

ABSTRACT

The role of lymphatics in placentation has been scantily studied and the true existence of placental lymphatics is under debate. Numerous blood and lymphatic-lineage molecule markers are now available and they are expressed in human placental tissue. D2-40 expression at the placental stromal level seems to indicate that network-forming, podoplanin-expressing cells may act as a reticular-lymphatic-like conductive network. This exciting area at the intersection of perinatology and lymphology needs further investigation.