An insight into acupoints and meridians in human body based on interstitial fluid circulation

Abstract

The atlas of human acupoints and meridians has been utilized in clinical practice for almost a millennium although the anatomical structures and functions remain to be clarified. It has recently been reported that a long-distance interstitial fluid (ISF) circulatory pathway may originate from the acupoints in the extremities. As observed in living human subjects, cadavers and animals using magnetic resonance imaging and fluorescent tracers, the ISF flow pathways include at least 4 types of anatomical structures: the cutaneous-, perivenous-, periarterial-, and neural-pathways. Unlike the blood or lymphatic vessels, these ISF flow pathways are composed of highly ordered and topologically connected interstitial fibrous connective tissues that may work as guiderails for the ISF to flow actively over long distance under certain driving forces. Our experimental results demonstrated that most acupoints in the extremity endings connect with one or more ISF flow pathways and comprise a complex network of acupoint-ISF-pathways. We also found that this acupoint-ISF-pathway network can connect to visceral organs or tissues such as the pericardium and epicardium, even though the topographical geometry in human extremities does not totally match the meridian lines on the atlas that is currently used in traditional Chinese medicine. Based on our experimental data, the following working hypotheses are proposed. A comprehensive atlas will be constructed to systemically reveal the detailed anatomical structures of the acupoints-originated ISF circulation. Such an atlas may shed light on the mysteries shrouding the visceral correlations of acupoints and meridians, and inaugurate a new frontier for innovative medical applications.