Lung allografts are prone to rejection, even though recipients undergo aggressive immunosuppressive therapy. Lymphatic vessels serve as conduits for immune cell trafficking and have been implicated in the mediation of allograft rejection. In this issue of the JCI, Cui et al. provide compelling evidence that lymphatic vessel formation improves lung allograft survival in a murine transplant model. Moreover, their data suggest a potential mechanism for the beneficial effects of lymphatics that does not involve immune cell or antigen transport. Together, the results of this study provide new insight into the role of lymphatic vessels in transplant tolerance.
