The Lymphatic System

 The Lymphatic System is component of the Circulatory System

 Consists of:
 Lymph vessels
 Lymph fluid
 Lymph Tissue
 Spleen, nodes, nodules….
 Red bone marrow
o Lymphocyte production
o T & B cells
 T cells for resistance. Release cell killing substances
 B cells for immunity. Secretes antibodies
 Functions:
 Protect from invasion
o Immunity & Resistance
o carries out immune response
 Clean lymph
o Nodes clean lymph and return it to blood
 Transport fats
o Carries lipid from GI tract to blood
 Drains interstitial fluid
o Excess fluid drained into lymph vessels (ascities, lymphedema)

 Lymph Vessels – Capillaries & Vessels

 Closed end vessels located in spaces between cells
 Lymph capillaries are slightly larger than blood capillaries
 Thin walls, many valves
 Lymph vessels are located throughout the body except in avascular areas, CNS, splenic
pulp, cornea, cartilage and bone marrow
 Plasma filters through blood capillaries  interstitial space  lymph capillaries (become
lymph)
 Resemble a veins
o thinner walls
o More valves
 Lymph Vessels – Trunks
 Union of vessels leaving proximal nodes of a chain of nodes
 Cap  L.Vessels  L.Trunks  L Ducts  SCVeins
 Trunks Pass to ducts
 Lymph Vessels – Ducts
 6 trunks drain a major body area – Lumbar, Intestinal, Bronchomediastinal, Subclavian,
Jugular, Intercostal
 Thoracic Duct (Lt. Lymhpatic Duct)
o Goes through diaphragm with aorta
o Main collecting duck
o Cisterna Chyli –
 beginning
 dilation anterior to L2
o Collects from
 Lower limbs and pelvis
 Abdomen
 Lt. Thorax
 Lt. Upper limb
 Lt neck/head
o Dumps into Lt. Subclavian Vein
 Rt. Lymphatic duct
o Located near jugular, short
o Collects from
 Rt. Thorax
 Rt. Upper limb
 Rt. Head/neck
o Dumps into Rt. Subclavian Vein

 Lymph
 Fluid in lymph vessels
 Composition:
o Blood plasma (water & solutes)
o WBC’s and proteins
 Slightly alkaline
 Nearly colorless
o Milky white color in Small Intestine due to lipids
 Also contains – Cancer cells, bacteria, virus, debris, hormones
 Lymph Circulation
 Contraction of skeletal muscles constricts lymph vessels
o Milking a cow – smooth muscles in lymph vessels
 Respiration(breathing) produces a pressure gradient between two ends of the system
(higher to lower).
 Valves Prevent backflow
 Arteries/Capillaries  Interstitial spaces  Lymph vessels  Subclavian Veins
 Blood  Tissue (interstitial) fluid  Lymph Blood
 More physical activity, the better the lymph circulation
 Starts as blood, becomes tissue or interstitial fluid then lymph, then blood again

 Primary Lymph Tissues/Organs

 Red bone marrow
o Adults – epiphysis and flat bones
o Function:
 Immune responses
 Makes WBCs
 Production of blood cells
 B cells – immunity
 T cells – resistance
 Thymus Gland
o Function:
 Resistance
 Maturation of T cells
 Releases hormones to aid in maturity of T cells
 also part of endocrine system
o Located in superior mediastinum, b/t lungs and bellow thyroid
o Large and functional in youngsters
o Atrophies post puberty but still works
o Maturation of T cells so they will work

 Secondary Lymph organs – Nodes

 Scattered throughout body
o Deep and superficial
 Cervical, Axillary, Inguinal Popliteal, intestinal, thoracic
 Medulla of strands of lymphocytes (bcells)
 600
 Less than 3 cm long
 Anatomy of Node
  Oval/bean shaped
 Encapsulated by dense connective tissue
 Medulla and Cortex
 WBC’s
 Function:
o Defend
 Trap foreign substances and macrophages eat it
o Filter
 Bacteria and waste products
o Hemopoiesis (the production of blood cells and platelets, which occurs in the
bone marrow.)
o Produce lymphocytes and monocytes, which enter the lymph and are returned
to the blood
 Afferent/Efferent vessels
 Unidirectional flow
 Metastasis
 Defend, Filter, Hemopoiesis
 Lymphadenopathy – Disease of lymph system
 Lymphadenitis – inflamed node

 Secondary Lymph organs - Spleen

 Lt. Hypochondriac region
o Behind the stomach
o below the diagphram
o Protected by ribs
 Largest mass of lymph tissue
o White pulp – lymphocytes
o Red pulp – venous sinsues with RBCs
 No afferent vessels
 DOES NOT FILTER LYMPH!
o Lymph does not travel through it
 Function
o Immune
 Forms lymphocytes and monocytes
 Phagocytosis
o Main function is not an immune function
o RBC Reservoir
 A lot of RBC’s and 1/3 of platelets are stored in it – non lymphatic
function
 Stores and releases blood in times of demand Fetus spleen makes RBCs
  Ruptured spleen: bleed to death
 Can live without it b/c marrow, liver, and nodes take over its job. (splenectomy)

 Secondary Lymph organs - Nodules

 Non-encapsulated oval masses
 Scattered in mucous membranes
 Function:
o Destroys pathogens that penetrate epithelium
o Produce T & B cells
 Tonsils
o Pharyngeal (adenoid) in posterior wall of nasopharynx
o Palatine (2) b/t arches in throat
o Lingual (2) base of tongue (not always removed)
 Appendix
 Peyer’s patches (ileum)

 Other Lymph tissue

 Most organs have a small amount of diffuse lymph tissue made of C.T. and lots of
lymphocytes
 GI tract
 Respiratory passages
 Urinary tract
 Reproductive tract

 Resistance
 Ability to ward off disease
 General response
o Protects against a variety of organisms
 Lines of Defense
o Skin and mucous membranes
 Physical/Chemical barriers
o Antimicrobial substances in blood
 Discourage microbe growth
o Natural killer cells & phagocytes
 Attack odd cells
o Inflammation is an attempt to dispose of microbes, toxins, etc.
 Immunity
 Ability to destroy foreign antigens
 Prevent future cases of disease
 Antigen = bacteria, virus, fungus, Ca cells…
 Antibody attacks antigen
 Specificity and Memory
o Specficity: antibody will attach the antigen to which they are specific
o Memory: antibodies remember. They float in your blood and if the antigen
return they attack it. The 2nd time the response is quicker than the first.
o Antibodies remember to respond quicker the next time the antigen appears
 Contrast reactions
 Contrast reactions  anaphylactic allergy = quick reaction to an antigen
that others normally tolerate. Hypersensitivty
 Polio antibody won’t attack marlaria antigen
 Autoimmune diseases – Rheumatoid arthritis, MS, Lupus - Body attacking itself

 Terms
 Adeno – Gland
 Adenitis – Swollen glands
 Metastasis – Spread of cancer
 Splenomegaly – Enlarged spleen
 AIDS – Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
o Opportunistic diseases
 Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia
 An opportunistic infection
 Associated with AIDS patients
 Lungs fill with exudate and cysts
 Lymphoma – Cancer of the lymphatic system
 Lymphography – Radiographic study of the lymphatic system
 Metastasis
 Splenomegaly- large spleen
 Lymphogram