In addition, in a validation cohort (validation cohort I; n = 4 for the lymphedema group; n = 7 for the healthy group; Age and BMI were matched between groups, P value > 0.05, Wilcox rank-sum test; Supplementary Table S5), through flow cytometry analyses, we confirmed that there was a significantly higher proportion of CD55high cells (c3-ASCs) in ASCs (PDGFRα+) from lymphedema patients than that from healthy donors (Fig. 3g and Supplementary Fig. S11; P value < 0.05, Wilcox rank-sum test). The gene discussed is C3; the disease is lymphedema.