Upholding the Jaw

Our lymphatic system moves chemicals and immune cells to and from tissues. Disruption to the flow can lead to chemical traffic jams bringing inflammation and aggravating conditions like arthritis. Here researchers use a high-powered microscope to search for lymphatic vessels in a joint prone to arthritis – the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), where a disc of cartilage (highlighted in purple) is sandwiched between the jaw (blue oval) and the skull (white oval). Arthritis occurs when the disc erodes, leading to the jaw grinding against the skull and considerable pain. Researchers find telltale chemicals of lymphatic vessels (highlighted in red and green) around the TMJ. They were able to reduce arthritic pain in mice by injecting chemicals to support the lymphatic system and reduce the inflammation, raising hopes for treatments in humans alike.

Written by John Ankers

John Ankers

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A former researcher in systems biology, John is now an online biology tutor and professional coach supporting the wellbeing of scientists and NHS professionals. He's writing, too, of course.

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• Video from work by Yang Shu and colleagues
• Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
• Video originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution – NonCommercial – NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
• Published in Nature Communications, April 2026