Lymphatic System Flashcards
How is lymphatic flow aided?
Valves - stop flow upstream
Vessels low both superficially (under skin) and deep (through muscle - muscle contraction aids in circulation.
Pressure changes in thorax
Pulsation of the arteries
What do lymphatic muscles lie adjacent to?
Arteries and veins
What is lymphedema?
Localised fluid retention caused by a compromised lymphatic system.
Name 2 lymphatic nodules.
Tonsils (palatine, lingual, adenoids)
Peyer’s patches in colon
What are the function of lymphatic nodes?
Filters blood on the way to the vascular system.
Afferent vessels enter via the X.
Efferent vessels leave via the Y
X = CORTEX Y = HILIUM
What are Dendritic cells?
‘Antigen presenting cells’ that process antigen material and present them on the surface to T cells.
Why are lymph nodes prone to swelling?
Trap pathogens and fight infection - macrophages, B cells, T cells and neutrophils work together to produce an INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE.
How lymph nodes are there in the body?
700
Cancer that starts in one area of the body and spreads through the lymph nodes is called?
Metastatis
What are the two main functions of the spleen?
Immune - Holds many antigen presenting cells, production of antibodies, activation of B/T cells.
Haemopoietic - Removal of old / damaged red blood cells (erythrocytes) and platelets, removal of iron from haemoglobin.
What organs can take over the function of the spleen if it is removed?
Liver and bone marrow.
What two things does a spleen removal increase your risk of?
Infection - enlarges in response to e.g. glandular fever, malaria - put on life long low dose of antibiotics.
Increase risk of DVT / Pulmonary Embolism - due to increased platelet count.
What is Thymus Cell Education?
Maturation of bone marrow derived stem cells into T cells.
