Figure 1B: Schematic illustration of the close interactions between pro-fibrotic and pro-lymphangiogenic factors. TGF-β is a central profibrotic factor, which can directly inhibit lymphangiogenesis when lymphatic endothelial cells are exposed (lower part of the figure). The direct effect on lymphatic endothelial cells can be blocked by VEGF-D (-). On the other hand TGF-β can trigger the release of VEGF-C by tubular epithelial cells and macrophages. VEGF-C triggers neolymphangiogenesis (+) but can also trigger the release of TGF- β (vicious circle in the upper part of the figure).