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A&p2 > Lymphatic System > Flashcards

Lymphatic System Flashcards

1
Q

Lymphatic system

A

■ Network of:
■ Ducts
■ Vessels
■ Organs

■ Produces, screens and moves fluid called lymph from tissues to the bloodstream

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2
Q

4 parts of lymphatic system

A
  1. Lymph:
    ■ a fluid similar to plasma, identical to interstitial fluid
    ■ does not have plasma proteins
  2. Lymphatic vessels (lymphatics):
    ■ network that carries lymph from peripheral tissues to the venous system
  3. Lymphoid tissues and lymphoid organs:
    ■ found throughout the body
  4. Lymphocytes, phagocytes, and other immune system cells
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3
Q

Functions of lymphatic system

A

■ Is to produce, maintain, and distribute lymphocytes
■ Drain excess interstitial fluid
■ Transports dietary lipids

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4
Q

Lymphocyte production

A

■ Lymphocytes are produced:
■ in lymphoid tissues (e.g., tonsils)
■ lymphoid organs (e.g., spleen, thymus)
■ and in red bone marrow

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5
Q

Lymphocyte distribution

A

■ Lymphocytes:
■ detect and respond to antigens
■ travel into site of injury or infection

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6
Q

Lymphocyte circulation

A

■ From blood to interstitial fluid (lymph) through capillaries
■ Returns to venous blood through lymphatic vessels

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7
Q

Circulation of fluids

A

■ From blood plasma to lymph and back to the venous system
■ Also transports hormones, nutrients, and waste

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8
Q

Lymphatic vessels

A

■ Are vessels that carry lymph
■ Lymphatic system begins with smallest vessels:
■ lymphatic capillaries (terminal lymphatics)

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9
Q

Lymphatic capillaries differ from blood capillaries in 4 ways

A

■ start as pockets rather than tubes
■ have larger diameters
■ have thinner walls (this as one cell)
■ flat or irregular in section

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10
Q

Lymphatic capillaries

A

■ Absent from bones, teeth, bone marrow, and CNS
■ Very permeable (take up proteins, cell debris, pathogens, and cancer cells)
■ Endothelial cells loosely bound together with overlap

■ Overlap acts as one-way valve:
■ allows fluids, solutes, viruses, and bacteria to enter lymphatic system
■ prevents return to intercellular space

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11
Q

Lacteals

A

■ Are special lymphatic capillaries in small intestine
■ Transport lipids from digestive tract

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12
Q

Lymphatic vessels and valves: lymph flow

A

■ From lymphatic capillaries to larger lymphatic vessels containing one-way valves (more numerous than veins)

■ Lymphatic vessels travel with lymph

■ Is due to:
■ ​peristaltic contractions (?) of smooth muscle in lymphatic vessel walls
■ ​Skeletal muscular contractions (like veins)
■ important for lymph flow
■ Immobilizing a limb will slow lymph drainage
■ ​Arterial pulsations
■ ​The respiratory pump

■ There is no lymph heart

■ Rate of lymph return is slow - approximately 120 ml/hr

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13
Q

Lymphatic ducts and venous system: lymphatic system

A

■ Is similar to the circulatory system

■ Is divided into:
■ superficial lymphatics
■ deep lymphatics

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14
Q

Superficial lymphatics are located in:

A

■ skin
■ mucus membranes
■ serous membranes lining body cavities

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15
Q

Deep lymphatics

A

■ Are larger vessels that accompany deep arteries and veins
■ They have smooth muscle in their walls
■ are capable of peristalsis

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16
Q

Superficial and deep lymphatics

A

■ Join to form large lymphatic trunks

■ Trunks empty into 2 major collecting vessels:
■ thoracic duct
■ right lymphatic duct

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17
Q

Base of thoracic duct

A

■ Expands into cisterna chyli

■ Cisterna chyli receives lymph from:
■ right and left lumbar trunks
■ intestinal trunk

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18
Q

Thoracic duct

A

■ Collects lymph from (3/4 of the body):
■ left bronchiomediastinal trunk
■ left subclavian trunk
■ left jugular trunk

■ Empties into left subclavian vein

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19
Q

Right lymphatic duct

A

■ Collects lymph from (1/4 of the body):
■ right jugular trunk
■ right subclavian trunk
■ right bronchiomediastinal trunk

■ Empties into right subclavian vein

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20
Q

Lymphedema

A

Lymphedema is a chronic swelling that occurs when the lymphatic system is blocked, preventing lymph fluid from draining properly.

■ Interferes with immune system function

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21
Q

Lymphocytes

A

■ Make up 20–30% of circulating leukocytes
■ Most are stored, not circulating

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22
Q

2 main classes of circulating lymphocytes

A
  1. T cells:
    ■ thymus-dependent
  2. B cells:
    ■ bone–marrow WBCs
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23
Q

Other supporting cells

A

■ Macrophages phagocytize foreign substances; help activate T cells

■ Dendritic cells capture antigens and deliver them to lymph nodes; activate T cells

■ Reticular cells produce reticular fiber stroma that supports other cells in lymphoid organs

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24
Q

T Cells

A

■ Make up 80% of circulating lymphocytes

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25
Q

3 main types of T cells

A

• Cytotoxic T cells
• Helper T cells
• Suppressor T cells

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26
Q

Cytotoxic T cells

A

■ Attack cells infected by viruses
■ Produce cell-mediated immunity

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27
Q

Helper T cells

A

■ Stimulate function of T cells and B cells

28
Q

Regulatory/Suppressor T cells

A

■ Inhibit function of T cells and B cells

■ Control sensitivity of immune response

29
Q

B cells

A

■ Make up 10–15% of circulating lymphocytes
■ Differentiate into plasma cells

30
Q

Plasma cells

A

■ Produce and secrete antibodies (immunoglobin proteins)

31
Q

Antigens

A

■ Antibody generators
■ Act as targets which identify any pathogen or foreign compound

32
Q

Antibody-mediated immunity

A

■ A chain of events which destroys the target compound or organism

33
Q

Lymphocyte distribution

A

■ Tissues maintain different T cell and B cell populations

■ Lymphocytes wander through tissues:
■ enter blood vessels or lymphatics for transport
■ can survive wk- few months

34
Q

Lymphocyte production involves:

A

■ bone marrow
■ thymus
■ peripheral lymphoid tissues

35
Q

Hemocytoblasts

A

In bone marrow, divide into 2 types of lymphoid progenitor cells
1. Myeloid stem cells
2. Lymphoid stem cells

36
Q

Lymphoid stem cells

A

■ Group 1:
■ remain in bone marrow
■ produce B cells and natural killer cells

■ Group 2:
■ migrate from bone marrow to peripheral tissue
■ produce T cells in environment isolated by blood-thymus barrier

37
Q

T cells and B cells

A

■ Migrate throughout the body:
■ to defend peripheral tissues

■ Retain their ability to divide:
■ is essential to immune system function

38
Q

Interleukin-7

A

A cytokine produced by stromal cells in bone marrow

39
Q

Lymphoid tissues

A

■ Surveillance vantage point for lymphocytes and macrophages
■ Largely reticular connective tissue – type of loose connective tissue

40
Q

2main types of lymphoid tissues

A

■ Diffuse lymphoid tissue of lymphoid cells and reticular fibers in ~ every body organ

■ Lymphoid follicles (nodules) are solid, spherical bodies of tightly packed lymphoid cells and reticular fibers
■ Germinal centers of proliferating B cells
■ May form part of larger lymphoid organs

41
Q

Distribution of lymphoid nodules

A

■ Lymph nodes
■ Spleen
■ Respiratory tract (tonsils)
■ Along digestive and urinary tracts

42
Q

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)

A

■ Lymph Nodules - Large aggregations of naked (no capsule, trabeculae, or hilum) lymphoid tissue
■ found embedded in mucous membranes of systems that communicate with external environment

■ Protect against outside harmful substances in food or air
■ These include:
■ the Gastrointestinal Tract
■ the Genitourinary Tract
■ the Upper Respiratory Tract

■ Commonly referred to as the Mucosal Associated Lymphoid Tissues or the MALT

43
Q

Gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT)

A

■ Are a type of MALT located specifically in the GI tract
■ Peyer’s patches – aggregated lymphoid nodules located throughout the small intestines
■ Appendix

■ Peyer’s patches and appendix:
■ Destroy bacteria, preventing them from breaching intestinal wall
■ Generate “memory” lymphocytes

44
Q

The 5 tonsils (GALT)

A

■ In wall of pharynx:
■ left and right palatine tonsils
■ pharyngeal tonsil (adenoid)
■ 2 lingual tonsils

45
Q

Lymphoid organs

A

■ Are separated from surrounding tissues
■ By a fibrous connective-tissue capsule

46
Q

Lymph nodes

A

■ Range from 1–25 mm diameter
■ Act as filters for lymph fluid
■ Embedded in connective tissue, in clusters along lymphatic vessels
■ Near body surface in inguinal, axillary, and cervical regions of body

47
Q

The stroma (structural portion)

A

■ structural latticework consisting primarily of reticular connective tissue. Containing:
■ Trabeculae are Bundles of connective tissue fibers
■ Extend from capsule into interior of lymph node
■ Hilus - shallow indentation where blood vessels and nerves reach the lymph node

48
Q

Lymph node vessels

A

■ Many afferent vessels carry lymph from peripheral tissues to lymph node

■ Fewer vessels leave lymph nodes at hilus
■ Slows lymph flow through the node
■ allows lymphocytes and macrophages time to function

49
Q

Lymph node functions

A

■ 2 main functions
■ Filtering and Immune System Activation (Antigen presentation)

■ filtering:
■ purifies lymph before return to venous circulation
■ Removes:
■ debris
■ pathogens
■ 99% of antigens

■ Antigen Presentation
■ First step in immune response
■ process where an antigen-presenting cell (APC) takes up a foreign antigen, processes it into smaller peptides, and then displays those peptides on its surface, bound to MHC molecules, for recognition by immune cells like T lymphocytes
■ or attached to dendritic cells to stimulate lymphocytes

50
Q

Lymphoid functions

A

■ Lymphoid tissues and lymph nodes:
■ distributed to monitor peripheral infections
■ respond before infections reach vital organs of trunk

51
Q

Lymph glands

A

■ Large lymph nodes at groin and base of neck
■ Swell in response to inflammation

52
Q

Lymphadenopathy (Lymphadenitis)

A

Chronic or excessive enlargement of lymph nodes may indicate infections, endocrine disorders, or cancer

53
Q

Lymphangitis

A

■ inflammation of the lymphatic channels
■ Pathogens invade the lymphatic vessels through a wound or as a complication of infection

■ irregular streaks on the skin extending proximally toward regional lymph nodes.
■ Treat with large does of antibiotics
■ Iimobalize the limb (Why?)

54
Q

The thymus

A

■ Located in mediastinum
■ Deteriorates after puberty:
■ diminishing effectiveness of immune system

55
Q

Division of thymus

A

■ Thymus is divided into 2 thymic lobes
■ Septa divide thymus parenchyma into smaller lobules

56
Q

Thymic lobule

A

■ Contains a dense outer cortex
■ And a pale central medulla

57
Q

Lymphocytes

A

■ Divide in the cortex
■ T cells migrate from cortex into medulla
■ Mature T cells leave thymus by medullary blood vessels

58
Q

Reticular epithelial cells in the cortex

A

■ Dendritic cells surround lymphocytes in cortex
■ Maintain blood-thymus barrier (only in cortex)

■ Secrete thymic hormones that stimulate:
■ stem cell divisions
■ T cell differentiation

59
Q

The medulla

A

■ Contains fewer lymphocytes
■ The medulla has no blood–thymus barrier:
■ T cells can enter or exit bloodstream
■ Keratinized Epithelial Cells form concentric layer (Hassall’s or Thymic corpuscles).
■ thymic corpuscles involved in regulatory T cell development (prevent autoimmunity)

60
Q

Thymus hormones

A

■ Thymosins
■ Promote development of lymphocytes

61
Q

DiGeorge syndrome

A

■ Congenital absence of thymus
■ Marked by serious combined immuno-deficiencies (SCIDS).
■ Life in a sterile bubble with death often resulting from opportunistic infection.

62
Q

Functions of the spleen

A
  1. Removal of abnormal blood cells and other blood components by phagocytosis
  2. Storage of iron recycled from red blood cells
  3. Initiation of immune responses by B cells and T cells:
    ■ in response to antigens in circulating blood
  4. The Stores blood platelets and monocytes
  5. May be site of fetal erythrocyte production (normally ceases before birth)
63
Q

Structure of spleen

A

■ Attached to stomach by gastrosplenic ligament
■ Splenic veins, arteries, and lymphatic vessels:
■ communicate with liver at hilus

■ Inside fibrous capsule:
■ red pulp: which contains many red blood cells
■ white pulp: resembles lymphoid nodules

64
Q

Red pulp

A

■ Contains elements of circulating blood:
■ plus fixed and free macrophages

65
Q

Splenic circulation

A

■ Blood passes through:
■ network of reticular fibers

■ Then enters large sinusoids (lined by macrophages):
■ which empty into trabecular veins

66
Q

Spleen function

A

■ Phagocytes and other lymphocytes in spleen:
■ identify and attack damaged and infected cells
■ in circulating blood

■ The spleen filters and cleans the blood

67
Q

Splenectomy

A

■ Removal of the spleen, usually due to damage
■ The spleen is very difficult to repair surgically
■ Surgeons now know that the spleen will repair its self with time – less splenectomies today

■ People with out a spleen are more susceptible to infections
■ specifically blood infections

A&p2 (28 decks)

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