What is the Glymphatic System?
The glymphatic system is a recently discovered macroscopic waste clearance system that utilizes a unique system of perivascular channels, formed by astroglial cells, to promote efficient elimination of soluble proteins and metabolites from the central nervous system of vertebrates . What is the difference between the Lymphatic System and the Glymphatic System? The lymphatic system clears soluble material, proteins and fluid from the interstitial space, returning them to the general circulation. The lymphatic network extends throughout all parts of the peripheral tissues and the density of lymph vessels correlates with the rate of tissue metabolism. Although the brain and spinal cord are characterized by a disproportionately high metabolic rate, the central nervous system does not have any conventional lymphatic vessels. The glymphatic system clears waste from the brain and then connects to the lymphatic system which carries waste products and destroyed bacteria back into the bloodstr...