Critical Review and Comments on B.H. Kim's Work on the Primo Vascular System

Two periods of primo vascular system (PVS) discovery exist. The first one includes the five reports of B. H. Kim made from 1962 to 1965. The second one is from 2002 until the present time and includes reports made mainly by the Seoul National University group using modern methods. The purpose of this article is to describe the claims in B. H. Kim's reports, to comment on the most important points of his claims, and to offer hypotheses for the morphological architecture and the function of the PVS. The PVS integrated the cardiovascular, nervous, and hormonal systems. Thus, the particularities of the various body systems are combined in the PVS. The PVS is not a simple circulatory system like the cardiovascular system. Its influence on all body systems is a combination of not only substances and signals but also energy and information. The primordial PVS is like a matrix for the vascular and the nervous systems, which are formed around the PVS. The PVS is duplicated by the vascular and the nervous systems in the very early stage of body development. This is the reason why the PVS combines the features of the vascular, the nervous, and the hormonal systems. Subsequently, all embryonic body systems have developed, the primordial PVS remains connected to them, but dominates and controls them as the primeval functional system.     

A Primo Vascular System Underneath the Superior Sagittal Sinus in the Brain of a Rabbit

The primo vascular systems (PVS) observed in the central nervous system have been limited to the ones floating in the cerebrospinal fluid. In those experiments, it was difficult to obtain the same results because the PVS was not fixed in a given anatomical position. In the current work, we report a finding of a PVS in a well-defined location, namely, underneath the superior sagittal sinus in the sagittal fissure, so that repetition of the experiments is possible. This provides a cornerstone for PVS research because the lack of reproducible sample-taking hindered a deeper study of the PVS, such as RNA sequencing or RNA microarray. This obstacle can be overcome through the discovery in the current work. This PVS showed characteristics of the PVS observed in other organs. It showed the bundle structure of subvessels, the parallel distributions of F-actins, and the rod-shaped nuclei. Furthermore, it had a primo node in front of the confluence of sinuses above the pineal body. It had branches shooting off from the main primo vessel in the subarachnoid space toward the cerebral hemispheres. The results indicate that this PVS underneath superior sagittal sinus has proper features to function as a flowing channel.     

Primo Vascular System Floating in Lymph Ducts of Rats

An epoch-making development in the gross anatomy of the lymph system has emerged: the observation of the primo vascular system (PVS), which is a threadlike structure floating in lymph ducts. The PVS, which was proposed as the conduit for the acupuncture Qi, is a complex network distributed throughout an animal's body. The lymph-PVS, which is a subsystem of the PVS, is one of the most convincing visual demonstrations of the PVS. Because its existence is not easily demonstrated, even with a microscope, due to its transparency, in current anatomy its existence is largely unknown despite its potential significance in physiology and medicine. The lymph-PVS has been observed in rabbits, rats, and mice by several independent teams. Because the involved techniques are rather complicated, we provide detailed protocols for surgery, for injection of the staining dye, and for detection, extraction, and identification of the PVS in a rat.     

The Primo Vascular System as a New Anatomical System

Traditional Eastern medicine has had a successful existence for a long time and has provided functional paths for curing disease. However, some scientists do not accept acupuncture, primarily because the meridian system lacks a physical anatomical basis. To date, scientific theories have not been able to explain the functional paths used by traditional Eastern medicine to cure disease. According to Western medicine, no known anatomical foundation exists for the meridians and unknown nervous, circulatory, endocrine, and immune mechanisms mediate the effects of acupuncture. In the early 1960s, only one hypothesis was proposed to explain the anatomical basis of the meridians. By using different experimental approaches during the past 10 years, the number of scientific papers that report the discovery of different anatomical and physiological evidence confirming the existence of an anatomical basis for the meridian system has increased. Morphological science is greatly challenged to offer a new biomedical theory that explains the possible existence of new bodily systems such as the primo vascular system (PVS). The PVS is a previously unknown system that integrates the features of the cardiovascular, nervous, immune, and hormonal systems. It also provides a physical substrate for the acupuncture points and meridians. Announcements of the morphological architectonics and the function of the PVS fundamentally changed the basic understanding of biology and medicine because the PVS is involved in the development and the functions of living organisms. We propose a new vision of the anatomical basis for the PVS and the vital energy—called “Qi”—as an electromagnetic wave that is involved very closely with the DNA in the PVS. DNA provides genetic information and it functions as a store of information that can be obtained from the electromagnetic fields of the environment. The PVS is the communication system between living organisms and the environment, and it lies at the lowest level of life. The theory of the PVS could be a good basis for forming a new point of view of Darwin's evolutionary theory. Discoveries in morphological theory—such as discoveries with respect to the PVS—have not been made since the 18th century. For that reason, the PVS needs more attention.     

Putative Primo-Vascular System in Rabbit Placenta

The primo vascular system (PVS) is a very important topic of study nowadays because of their role in transport and regeneration of tissue and in cell migration and cancer metastasis. The PVS was detected in different organs of the rabbit but not in the placenta. In this work, we observe the PVS inside the blood vessels of the placenta for the first time. The main characteristic features of the primo vessels (PVs) from the rabbit placenta were in agreement with the PVS in different organs of animals, including the rod-shaped nuclei and their arrangement.     

Primo Vascular System in Human Umbilical Cord and Placenta

The primo vascular system (PVS) has been observed in various animals such as mice, rats, rabbits, dogs, swine, and cow, but not in humans. In this work, we report on the observation of a human PVS on both the epithelial fascia and inside the blood vessels of the umbilical cord (UC). The main morphological characteristics of the primo vessels (PVs) and primo nodes (PNs) from the human UC were in agreement with those of the PVS in various animal organs, including the thicknesses and the transparency of the PVs, the sizes of the PNs, the broken-line arrangement of the rod-shaped nuclei, the sparse distribution of nuclei, and the presence of hollow lumens in the central inner parts of the PNs. It was rather surprising that the human PV was not thicker than the PVs from small animals. The difference between the PVS and blood/lymph vessels was confirmed using immunofluorescence staining of von Willebrand factor, CD31, LYVE-1, and D2-40. The positive expression of the PVS to proliferating cell nuclear antigen, a cell-proliferation marker, was consistent with the recent finding of very small embryonic-like stem cells in the PVS of mice.     

Formative Research on the Primo Vascular System and Acceptance by the Korean Scientific Community: The Gap Between Creative Basic Science and Practical Convergence Technology

The purpose of this study was to trace the formative process of primo vascular system (PVS) research over the past decade and to describe the characteristics of the Korean scientific community. By publishing approximately 30 papers in journals ranking in the Science Citation Index (Expanded), the PVS research team actively convinced domestic and international scientists of the anatomical existence of the PVS and its possible application to Korean and Western medicine. In addition, by sharing the PVS observation technique, the team promoted the dissemination and further pursuit of the research. In 2012, however, PVS researchers performed smaller scale research without advancing to a higher level as compared to the early days. The main reasons were found to be the Korean Research and Development policy of supporting creative, small-scale basic research and applied research of Western scientific fields that promised potentially greater success on an extensive scale; the indifference concerning, and the disbelief in, the existence of a new circulatory system were shown by the Western medical community. In addition, the Oriental medical community was apathetic about working with the PVS team. Professors Kwang-Sup Soh and Byung-Cheon Lee were the prime movers of PVS research under difficult conditions. Spurred by their belief in the existence and significance of the PVS, they continued with their research despite insufficient experimental data. The Korean scientific community is not ready to promote the Korea-oriented creative field of the PVS team.     

Visualization of the Primo Vascular System Afloat in a Lymph Duct

Because of the potential roles of the primo vascular system (PVS) in cancer metastasis, immune function, and regeneration, understanding the molecular biology of the PVS is desirable. The current state of PVS research is comparable to that of lymph research prior to the advent of Lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor 1 (LYVE-1). There is very little knowledge of the molecular biology of the PVS due to difficulties in identifying and isolating primo endothelial cells. Present investigations rely on the morphology and the use of differential staining procedures to identify the PVS within tissues, making detailed molecular studies all but impossible. To overcome such difficulties, one may emulate the explosive development of lymph molecular biology. For this purpose, there is a need for a reliable method to obtain PVS specimens to initiate the molecular investigation. One of the most reliable methods is to detect the primo vessels and primo nodes afloat in the lymph flow. The protocols for observation of the PVS in the large lymph ducts in the abdominal cavity and the thoracic cavity were reported earlier. These methods require a laparectomy and skillful techniques. In this work, we present a protocol to identify and harvest PVS specimens from the lymph ducts connecting the inguinal and the axillary nodes, which are located entirely in the skin. Thus, the PVS specimen is more easily obtainable. This method is a stepping-stone toward development of a system to monitor migration of cancer cells in metastasis from a breast tumor to the axillary nodes, where cancer cells use the PVS as a survival rope in hostile lymph flow.     

Protocol for the Observation of the Primo Vascular System in the Lymph Vessels of Rabbits

Molecular-level understanding of the structure and the functions of the lymphatic system has greatly enhanced the importance of this second circulation system, especially in connection with cancer metastasis and inflammation. Recently, a third circulatory system, the primo vascular system (PVS) was found in various parts of an animal's body, especially as threadlike structures floating in the lymphatic flow in lymph vessels. Although the medical significance of this emerging system will require much work in the future, at present, several important suggestions in connection with immune cells, stem cells, and cancer metastasis have already appeared. Experiments to observe the PVS in the lymph vessels near the caudal vena cava of rabbits and rats have been performed by several independent teams, but reproduction requires considerable skill and technical know-how. In this article, we provide a detailed protocol to detect the PVS inside the lymph vessels of a rabbit. Detection and isolation are the first steps in unraveling the physiological functions of the PVS, which awaits intensive research.     

Historical Observations on the Half-Century Freeze in Research between the Bonghan System and the Primo Vascular System

This article provides potential reasons for the past 45-year halt in research between the time of the Bonghan system of Bong Han Kim (B.H. Kim) and that of the primo vascular system (PVS) of Kwang-Sup Soh (K.S. Soh), briefly but more accurately in its history. Over the years, numerous questions related to the Bonghan system and the PVS have arisen, especially from researchers interested in pursuing PVS research: When and how did B.H. Kim's study results on the Bonghan system become known to public? Why did B.H. Kim and his publications disappear after 1966? Why was little study performed on the system for almost 50 years after Kim? Why and how was the research on the system reinitiated in 2002 by Kwang-Sup Soh? Why did the Bonghan system become the PVS? These questions, as well as technical difficulties in identifying the system, have discouraged many researchers from becoming involved in research on the system. The motivation for preparing this article was to remove doubts about the existence of this important organ, which might have been caused by its unusual and unclear historical background, by providing an accurate history.     

Production and Characterization of Monoclonal Antibodies Against Primo Vascular System of Rat

BackgroundThe primo vascular system (PVS) has been difficult to detect due to its small diameter and translucent features of the threadlike network. Thus, contrast-enhancing dyes including Alcian blue, Trypan blue and Janus green B had to be used for finding and taking out PVS from rat and mouse.ObjectiveGeneration of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against PVS of rat was intended to use as a detector for PVS and a biological tool for functional study of PVS.Materials and methodsPrimo vessel (PV) and Primo node (PN) were isolated from organ surfaces of rat and then their proteins were isolated and injected into mouse as an immunogen. The classical traditional method was applied for production of mAbs against PVS. The various techniques, such as cell fusion, screening of hybridoma, ELISA, Western blotting (WB), immunofluorescence microscopy (IF), and limiting dilution, were used to generate mAbs against PVS.ResultsAmong 16 mAbs generated, 4 representative mAbs were characterized with their specificities in ELISA, WB, and IF. α-rPVS-m1-1 and α-rPVS-m4-6 had strong binding affinities to PVS in both ELISA and WB but did not show specificities in IF at all. On the contrary, α-rPVS-m3-2 and α-rPVS-m3-4 almost did not respond in WB but had strong binding affinities in ELISA and specificities in IF. Two mAbs stained predominantly at extra cellular matrix and cell membrane of PVS of rat in IF, and they were able to discriminate PVS from blood vessel (BV) and lymphatic vessel (LV).Conclusions4 representative mAbs against PVS of rat were characterized by ELISA, WB, and IF. α-rPVS-m3-2 and α-rPVS-m3-4, which had strong specificities in IF, can be used as a tool in discriminating PVS from other similar tissues and in elucidate biological function of PVS.     

Mesothelial Cells Covering the Surface of Primo Vascular System Tissue

The primo vascular system (PVS) is reported to have a periductium composed of cells with spherical or spindle-shaped nuclei and abundant cytoplasm. However, little is known about these periductium cells. In this study, we examined the morphological features of cells covering the PVS tissue isolated from the surface of abdominal organs of rats. By hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, we observed a layer of dark nuclei on the basement membrane at the borders of the sections of primo node (PN), primo vessel (PV), and their subunits. The nuclei appeared thin and linear (10-14 μm), elliptical (8-10 × 3-4 μm), and round (5-7 μm). The borders of the PVS tissue sections were immunostained with a selective antibody for mesothelial cells (MCs). Areas of immunoreactivity overlapped with the flattened cells are shown by hematoxylin and eosin staining. By scanning electron microscopy, we further identified elliptical (11 × 21 μm) and rectangular squamous MCs (length, 10 μm). There were numerous stomata (∼200 nm) and microparticles (20-200 nm) on the surface of the PVS MCs. In conclusion, this study presents the novel finding that the PVS periductium is composed of squamous MCs. These cells tightly line the luminal surface of the PVS tissue, including PNs, PVs, and small branches of the PVs in the abdominal cavity. These results will help us to understand the physiological roles such as hyaluronan secretion and the fine structure of PVS tissue.     

Primo vascular system of murine melanoma and heterogeneity of tissue oxygenation of the melanoma

Murine melanoma requires the complex development of lymphatic, vascular, and non-vascular structures. A possible relationship between the primo vascular system (PVS) and the melanoma metastasis has been proposed. In particular, the PVS may be involved in oxygen transport. Vasculogenic-like networks, similar to the PVS, have been found within melanoma tumors, but their functional relationship with the PVS and meridian structures are unclear. Herein, we report on the use of an electrochemical O(2) sensor to study oxygenation levels of melanoma tumors in mice. We consistently found higher tissue oxygenation in specific sites of tumors (n=5). These sites were strongly associated with vascular structures or the PVS. Furthermore, the PVS on the tumor surface was associated with adipose tissue. Our findings suggest that the PVS is involved in the regulation of metastasis.     

Primo Vessel as a Novel Cancer Cell Migration Path from Testis with Nanoparticle-Labeled and GFP Expressing Cancer Cells

Background/aimRecently, a novel circulatory system, the primo vascular system (PVS), was found to be a potent metastatic route of cancer cells. The aim of the current work is to demonstrate that cancer cells injected into the testis migrate through the primo vessel (PV).Materials and methodsNCI-H460 cells labeled with fluorescent nanoparticles (FNP) or green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene transfection were injected into testicular parenchyma in 24 rats. After 24 hours of injection, the abdominal cavity was investigated via a stereomicroscope, to detect the PVS, and the samples were analyzed histologically with 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) and hematoxylin and eosin.ResultsInjected cancer cells were detected inside the PVS distributed on the abdominal organs. Some were detected inside intestinal parenchyma into which the attached primo vessels (PVs) entered.ConclusionThe results supported the fact that the PVS may be a novel migration path of cancer cells, in addition to the lymphatic and hematogenous routes.     

呼吸系统真菌感染中医证型演变规律的研究

目的：探讨真菌在感染呼吸系统过程中的中医辨证演变规律,为中医辨证施治呼吸系统真菌感染性疾病提供基础理论。方法：对呼吸系统真菌感染患者,根据不同的辨证分型,每3-7天辨证一次,直至痰液真菌培养结果阴性,动态观察真菌从感染到消失,中医辨证发展的演变过程。结果：在呼吸系统真菌感染性疾病中医辨证4种分型中,肺热壅盛型中医辨证演变为痰湿内盛型30.8%、痰湿内盛型中医辨证演变为脾肾阳虚型58.7%,脾肾阳虚型中医辨证演变为痰湿内盛30.0%。结论：真菌感染性呼吸系统疾病中医辨证的演变表现为3种类型,即肺热壅盛型演变为痰湿内盛型、痰湿内盛型演变为脾肾阳虚型、脾肾阳虚型演变为痰湿内盛型。其中痰湿内盛型中医辨证演变为脾肾阳虚型的演变率最高,外寒内饮型末发生中医辨证的演变。     

经络信息通道结构体系

笔者通过对机体信息通道的定量与定性分析,建立了单一信道结构(神经、血管、淋巴管、间隙、缝隙等)的不完备性定律,排除了单一信道结构作为经络信道的可能性。通过对目前经络研究综合分析,认为:体躯部经络信息通道的结构主要服从系统性统计分布规律,不是单一特异实体;各层次信道以优化的结构关系组织在经络干线上,经络的信道结构是优化的、有序兼容的系统性结构。从该新学说出发,笔者提出了经络役使原理,这一原理对新学说提供了生物发育学的理论支持。经络干线的纵向分布是生物进化过程中,原始前向运动的动物体内,信息和能量分子的微观复杂运动和机体宏观前向非匀速运动跨尺度关联,其冲量和动量在身体前向纵轴方向(经络干线方向)分量上形成了主向量,生物为了适应和利用这种自然规律逐渐分化和进化,形成了现代的经络干线。该经络的"生物学起源说"体躯部经络信息通道实质说"初步构成了较为完整的理论体系框架。     

持续性植物状态(PVS)的并发症及对康复的影响

目的:探讨持续性植物状态(persistent vegetable state,PVS)患者的并发症的有或无及对患者康复的影响。方法:回顾性分析96例PVS患者的临床资料,比较患者治疗前后PVS评分变化并判断为有效(评分提高>3分)或无效(评分提高<3分和死亡),统计分析并发症的发生、分布情况并依据患者有无并发症进行分组,对各组有效率并进行比较。结果:并发症的发生率为36.46%,无并发症组和有并发症组的好转率分别为45.90%和34.29%,二者有差异但无显著性(X2=1.23,P>0.05)。结论:PVS并发症有比较高的发生率,但对PVS患者的康复无显著影响。     

中西医结合康复治疗持续植物状态的分析与探讨

持续植物状态是一种特殊的意识障碍,目前在临床诊断和治疗上仍存在诸多困惑和争议。文章旨在根据我院中西医结合促醒持续植物状态的方法,从营养支持,药物治疗,高压氧,物理因子治疗,针灸,运动疗法等方面分析其在促醒植物状态中的作用。并分别从中西医探讨了促醒持续植物状态的机理,强调发挥中西医结合优势。     

针刺治疗持续性植物状态的临床研究

目的 观察针刺治疗持续性植物状态（PVS）的疗效。方法 对50例PVS患者运用针灸催醒及脑复苏后的系列症状对症治疗。结果与结论 针灸治疗PVS总有效率为82%。疗效与病程有很大关系，病程越长，有效率愈低；治疗在11－15个疗程者效果最佳，短疗程的治疗意义不大。