Lymphatic System

Question 1

What are the functions of the lymphatic system?

Answer 1

Tissue drainage

Return of plasma and plasma proteins

Absorbed fat transport from gut

Immunity

The main function is to return the lymph from the tissues back into the bloodstream.

Question 2

What is the lymphatic system?

Answer 2

A network of vessels and organs that regulates the amount of fluid in the human body and defends it against infections.

Question 3

What makes up the lymphatic system?

Answer 3

Lymphatic capillaries, lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, lymphocytes, lymphoid organs

Question 4

Where does the lymphatic system begin and where does lymph travel to?

Answer 4

The lymphatic system begins with the lymphatic capillary meshwork that collects the excessive fluid from the tissues.

The lymph travels from the tissues through larger lymph vessels until it reaches its destination point; the bloodstream.

Question 5

What does the lymph do on its way to the blood stream?

Answer 5

Traverses lymphoid organs filled with immune cells that monitor if there are any pathogens in the incoming lymph.

Question 6

What is lymph?

Answer 6

A clear, yellowish fluid present in most tissues of the body. It is created as a result of the filtration of the plasma.

Question 7

What are the stages in which lymph is developed?

Answer 7

1. Plasma from the blood diffuses through the porous capillary wall into the tissues to deliver nutrients.
2. 90% of the fluid gets reabsorbed back into the blood vessels, while 10% stays in the tissue.

The residual fluid in the tissues is called the interstitial fluid.

3. When the interstitial fluid gets absorbed into the lymphatic capillaries it becomes the lymph.

Question 8

What is lymph composed of?

Answer 8

Mainly of water.

Other components are proteins, lipids, glucose, ions, and cells.

Question 9

How much lymph does the a healthy individual produce?

Answer 9

8L per day

Question 10

What causes lymph to flow?

Answer 10

Muscle contraction

Question 11

What prevents lymph from flowing in the wrong direction?

Answer 11

Valves

Question 12

Why is fluid absorbed by lymphatic vessels from the interstitial fluid?

Answer 12

Higher pressure in the lymphatic vessels creases a hydrostatic pressure

Question 13

What allows fluid to enter lymphatic vessels?

Answer 13

Loose overlapping of walls, when pressure is on it, it moves and allows fluid in

Question 14

Where in the body is the first place that the immune system can see an antigen?

Answer 14

Lymph node

Question 15

How many afferent and efferent vessels do lymph nodes have?

Answer 15

Lots of afferent, one efferent

Question 16

Where are most lymph nodes found?

Answer 16

In the axial skeleten

Question 17

Where do superficial lymph nodes always go?

Answer 17

Into deep lymph nodes

Question 18

What can lymphatic tissue be a pathway for?

Answer 18

A pathway for a metastatic process.

Question 19

What route does lymphatic drainage follow?

Answer 19

Arterior supply

Question 20

What is a lymphatic duct and what is its purpose?

Answer 20

A great lymphatic vessel that empties lymph into one of the subclavian veins.

Question 21

How can the lymphatic vessels be divided up?

Answer 21

Superficial vessels
Deep lymphatic vessels

Question 22

Where are superficial lymphatic vessels located?

Answer 22

The superficial vessels are located in the subcutaneous layer of the skin where they collect the lymph from the superficial structures of the body.

Question 23

What do superficial vessels drain into?

Answer 23

They tend to follow the drainage of the venous system and in the end, drain into deep lymphatic vessels.

Question 24

What is the role of the deep lymphatic vessels?

Answer 24

The deep lymphatic vessels carry lymph from internal organs.

Question 25

What are afferent lymphatic vessels?

Answer 25

Lymphatic vessels that carry lymph towards the lymph node

Question 26

What are efferent lymphatic vessels?

Answer 26

Lymphatic vessels that carry lymph away from the lymph node

Question 27

What do efferent lymphatic vessels empty into?

Answer 27

Lymphatic trunks

Question 28

What are the names of the lymphatic trunks?

Answer 28

Lumbar
Bronchomediastinal
Subclavian
Jugular

Question 29

What are the two lymphatic ducts that the lymphatic trunk converges into?

Answer 29

Right lymphatic duct
Thoracic duct

Question 30

What does the right lymphatic trunk collect?

Answer 30

Collects lymph from the right upper limb and the right side of the head and chest.

Question 31

What does the right lymphatic duct drain into?

Answer 31

The systemic venous system at the junction of the right internal jugular and right subclavian vein or right brachiocephalic vein within the neck.

Question 32

What does the thoracic duct collect?

Answer 32

Collects lymph from the whole body apart from the right side of the head, right side of the neck, right side of the thorax and the upper limb.

Question 33

What does the thoracic duct drain into?

Answer 33

The blood stream

Question 34

What are lymph nodes?

Answer 34

Secondary lymphoid organs distributed throughout the whole body

Question 35

What is a lymphoid organ?

Answer 35

Organs made from lymphoid tissue

Question 36

What are primary lymphoid organs?

Answer 36

The red bone marrow and the thymus. They create special immune system cells called lymphocytes.

Question 37

What are secondary lymphoid organs?

Answer 37

Where the cells of the immune system do their actual job of fighting off germs and foreign substances.

Lymph nodes, tonsils, spleen.

Question 38

How many lymph nodes does the average adult have and where are most of them located?

Answer 38

450 lymph nodes, most of which are located in the abdomen.

Question 39

Where do lymphocytes arise from?

Answer 39

Stem cells in bone marrow, and differentiate in the central lymphoid organs - they come from B cells in bone marrow and T cells in the thymus.

Question 40

Where do lymphocytes go after their development?

Answer 40

Enter the bloodstream which carries them throughout the body and disperses them in the connective tissues and the secondary lymphoid organs.

Question 41

What is the largest lymphatic organ?

Answer 41

The spleen. It contains a large amount of blood which is routinely discharged through smooth muscle action.

Question 42

Give an example of superficial and deep lymph nodes

Answer 42

Superficial: Lymph nodes of femoral triangle located at the base of the lower limb

Deep: lymph nodes of the abdomen