Lymphatic System

Question 1

List the components of the lymphatic system.

Answer 1

lymph, lymphatic vessels, lymphatic organs and tissues, includes spleen, thymus, bone marrow, lymph nodes.

Question 2

List and briefly describe the primary lymphatic organs.

Answer 2

The primary lymphatic organs are those within which stem cells divide and mature into B or T lymphocytes.
Includes:
Red bone marrow - where all lymphocytes are produced and where B cells mature.
Thymus - where T cells mature under the effects of thymosin, a thymus hormone.

Question 3

List and briefly describe the secondary lymphatic organs.

Answer 3

The secondary lymphatic organs are those where most immune responses occur.
Includes:
Lymph nodes - areas of concentrated lymphocytes.
Spleen - similar to the lymph node, larger and filled with blood, filter or purifies blood, protection from infection, particularly from encapsulated bacteria.
Lymphatic nodules - congregation of lymphatic tissue, tonsils, peyer’s patches, mucosa associated lymph tissue.

Question 4

What are the driving forces for lymph flow.

Answer 4

One way valves.
Smooth muscles in vessel wall - pumping.
Skeletal muscle nearby - milking.
Pressure difference between thoracic and abdominal cavities during respiration.

Question 5

List the axillary lymph nodes.

Answer 5

Apical (subclavicular); central; lateral, posterior (subscapular), anterior (pectoral)

Question 6

Detail lymph drainage from the lower limbs back to the heart.

Answer 6

Right and left lumbar trunks along with the intestinal trunk drain into the cisterna chyli, then into the thoracic duct which travels up through the chest to drain into the left jugular trunk and into the left subclavian vein.

Question 7

Detail lymph drainage from the abdominal organs.

Answer 7

Lymph from the stomach and duodenum include the gastric, splenic, gastroepiploic and pancreaticoduodenal lymph nodes, and drain into the celiac node.
The small intestine and proximal large intestine have nodes that drain into the superior mesenteric lymph node and the distal large intestine has nodes which drain into the inferior mesenteric lymph node.
The celiac, superior mesenteric and inferior mesenteric lymph nodes drain into the intestinal trunk and then into the cisterna chyli.

Question 8

List the lymphatic trunks.

Answer 8

Paired:
lumbar, bronchomediastinal, subclavian, jugular.
Single:
intestinal.

Question 9

List the lymphatic ducts.

Answer 9

Right lymphatic duct.

Thoracic duct.

Question 10

Describe the lymph drainage of the oesophagus.

Answer 10

Upper 1/3: deep cervical nodes
Middle 1/3: superior and posterior mediastinal nodes.
Lower 1/3: left gastric nodes.