About the Lymph Vascular System

Question 1

What are the 4 functions of the lymph vascular system?

Answer 1

1. drains excess fluid and plasma proteins from tissues and returns them to the blood
2. filters foreign material into the lymph
3. Screens lymph for foreign antigens and responds by releasing antibodies and activated immune cells
4. absorbs fat from the intestines and transports it to the blood

Question 2

Describe the lymphatic vessels

Answer 2

• large finger like projections, sitting around the blood vascular capillary
• blind ending capillaries
• larger vessels have lots of valves to prevent backflow
• lymphatic vessels called lacteals drain fat-laden lymph from the intestines to a collecting vessel called the cisterna chyli

Question 3

Do the lymph vessels have tight cells for the fluid to flow through or not

Answer 3

no they have porous flaps so fluid can freely drain into the lymph channel

Question 4

Are lymph walls thicker or thinner than veins?

Answer 4

Thinner

Question 5

Describe the regions of the body drained by lymphatics

Answer 5

The right side of the body up until just above the end of the diaphragm drains into the right lymphatic duct and then into the right subclavian vein
The rest of the body drains into the thoracic duct and then into the left subclavian vein

Question 6

Describe how lymphatic vessels called lacteals drain fat-laden lymph from the intestines to a collecting vessel called the cisterna chyli

Answer 6

Blood flows from the intestinal arteries to the capillaries There is an exchange between oxygen to the epithelium (the villi) and nutrients into the blood vascular system. Deoxygenated nutrient rich blood flows to the portal vein and there is an exchange between nutrient rich blood in the liver.
The fat drains into the lacteal and then it drains up to the cisterna chyli and then continues up to the left subclavian vein

Question 7

When draining into the subclavian veins, the lymph passes through lymph nodes

Answer 7

And that’s straight facts

Question 8

Describe the flow on lymph through the lymph nodes

Answer 8

Lymph flows from afferent lymphatics to the meshwork of fibres inside the node. Here there are immune cells which you bath in the lymph to monitor for foreign antigens and possibly activate antibodies. Lymph continues to efferent channels.

Question 9

Describe the lymph drainage of the breast and outline why that might be a problem

Answer 9

The lymphatic vessels of the breast drain into the axillary lymph nodes. This drains into the right lymphatic duct and then into the right subclavian vein.
If someone had breast cancer, it can travel from the breast into the blood using this path. It can travel to other parts of the body (metastasising)