Chapter 3 - Lymphatic System - Summary Notes
Chapter 3 - Lymphatic System - Summary Notes
• Lymphatic vessels: one-way system, ‘pumpless’, lymph flows toward the heart, thin-walled,
larger vessels have valves.
• Lymph is transported from the lymph capillaries →larger lymphatic vessels → lymphatic
duct →blood vessel near the heart.
1. Lymph Node
• Protects the body by removing foreign material such as bacteria and tumor cells from the
lymphatic system
• Protects the body by producing lymphocytes that function in the immune response.
Lymph node varies in shape and size, mostly are kidney-shaped and less than 1 inch long.
Its cortex contains lymphocytes & its medulla houses the phagocytic macrophages.
Lymph enters the convex side of a lymph node through afferent lymphatic vessels and exits via
efferent lymphatic vessels.
The flow of lymph through the lymph node is very slow which allows time for the lymphocytes and
macrophages to perform their protective function.
2. Spleen
3. Thymus
4. Tonsils
• To trap and remove any bacteria or other foreign pathogens entering the throat.
5. Peyer’s patches
• To capture and destroy bacteria, thus preventing them from penetrating the intestinal wall.
Happy Reading….