LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
Lymph
Tissue fluid (interstitial fluid) that enters the lymphatic vessels
● Essentially a drainage system accessory to venous system
● Larger particles that escape into tissue fluid can only be removed via lymphatic
system
Functions
● Network that filters antigens from the interstitial fluid
● Primary site of immune response from tissue antigens
● Lymphatic drainage in all organs of the body except brain, eyes, marrow and
cartilage
● Flaccid thin walled channels → progressive caliber
● 600 lymph nodes in body
● Slow flow, low pressure system returns interstitial fluid to the blood system
, Components of lymphatics
● Lymph
● Lymphatic Vessels
● Lymphatic Organs
● Lymphatic cells
Lymphatic Capillaries
Features of structure:
● Blind end
● Single layer of overlapping endothelial cells
● More permeable than that of blood capillary
● Absent from avascular structures, brain, spinal cord splenic pulp and bone
marrow
Lymph
Tissue fluid (interstitial fluid) that enters the lymphatic vessels
● Essentially a drainage system accessory to venous system
● Larger particles that escape into tissue fluid can only be removed via lymphatic
system
Functions
● Network that filters antigens from the interstitial fluid
● Primary site of immune response from tissue antigens
● Lymphatic drainage in all organs of the body except brain, eyes, marrow and
cartilage
● Flaccid thin walled channels → progressive caliber
● 600 lymph nodes in body
● Slow flow, low pressure system returns interstitial fluid to the blood system
, Components of lymphatics
● Lymph
● Lymphatic Vessels
● Lymphatic Organs
● Lymphatic cells
Lymphatic Capillaries
Features of structure:
● Blind end
● Single layer of overlapping endothelial cells
● More permeable than that of blood capillary
● Absent from avascular structures, brain, spinal cord splenic pulp and bone
marrow
