Lymph

Lymphatic System Female
Lymphatic System Female

Intro

  • Present in vertebrates. Not a closed system
  • Function: circulatory system and the immune system.

Components

  • lymphatic vessels, lymphatic or lymphoid organs, and lymphoid tissues
  • Lymph is clear liquid - very similar to blood plasma. Contains waste products and cellular debris, together with bacteria and proteins. The cells of the lymph are mostly lymphocytes.
  • Lymphocytes are initially generated in the bone marrow.

Vessels

  • (Seeped blood as interstitial fluid) → Lymphatic capillaries → Lymph nodes (some filtering) → larger lymph ducts +++(right smaller, left larger in humans)+++ → subclavian veins of blood circulatory system.
  • In some vertebrates, a lymph heart is present that pumps the lymph to the veins.

Organs

  • lymphoid organs are sites of lymphocyte production +++(=Lymphopoiesis)+++ or activation. Composed of stromal cells for support and lymphoid tissues. These include: spleen, the thymus, and the tonsils. These travel to secondary lymphoid organs in search of pathogens.
  • Bone marrow is responsible for both the creation of T cells and the production and maturation of B cells.
  • The thymus is a specialized primary lymphoid organ of the immune system. Within the thymus, Thymus cell lymphocytes or T cells mature.

Circulatory function

  • Fluid from circulating blood +++(20L in humans)+++ leaks +++(2L in humans)+++ into the tissues of the body by capillary action, carrying nutrients to the cells. The fluid bathes the tissues as interstitial fluid, collecting waste products, bacteria, and damaged cells, and then drains as lymph into the lymphatic capillaries and lymphatic vessels.
  • Lymph vessels carry the lymph throughout the body, passing through numerous lymph nodes which filter out unwanted materials such as bacteria and damaged cells.

Immunity function

Lymph nodes and the spleen provide structures that facilitate cell-to-cell communication.