The lymphatic vasculature is essential in maintaining fluid balance, in immune cell trafficking, and in lipid transport. Dietary lipid uptake and transport after a meal is one of the primary functions of the lymphatic system. Until recently, the lymphatics have been treated as a passive system for the collection and transportof lipids in lymph, without considering their active role in transport. Lymph flow rates, however, have been shown to affect lipid transport, and lymph flow rate increases after lipid absorption. What remains less clear is the exact relationship and molecular underpinnings that modulate lymphatic pump function in the context of the drastic changes in lipid load and lymph flow/formation that occur during the normal dietary functions of the intestine. This information is a vital link to understanding the significance of the lymphatic system in the context of lipid-related diseases and the implications of lymphatic pump failure on the progression and severity of these pathologies. Through the use of a custom in vivo dual-channel imaging system, the response of mesentery lymphatic vessels to lipid load will be investigated. In addition, the effect of lipids on the functional response of the vessel to mechanical loads will be elucidated through in vitro studies.