Lymphedema-associated fibroblasts are a TGF-β1 activated myofibroblast subpopulation related to fibrosis and stage progression in patients and a murine microsurgical model

The driver of secondary lymphedema (SL) progression is chronic inflammation, which promotes fibrosis. Despite advances in preclinical research, a specific effector cell subpopulation as a biomarker for therapy response or stage progression is still missing for SL.