Lymphatic System - Module 3

Question 1

What is the purpose of the Lymphatic System?

Answer 1

• Transports excess tissue fluid back into cardiovascular system
• Filters out harmful bacteria/other foreign substances
• Destroys/removes old erythrocytes

Question 2

What is lymph?

Answer 2

• Watery fluid similar to plasma, containing leukocytes but not erythrocytes
• Forms fluid that diffuses into body tissue
• Also known as interstitial fluid b/c it fills space between tissue cells

Question 3

What are the lymphatic vessels and ducts?

Answer 3

• Lymphatic vessel - form branchlike patterns throughout body through lacteals (special capillaries)
• Right Lymphatic Duct - recieves/drains lymph from right side of the chest, head, neck, and arm
• Thoracic Duct - (much larger than right lymphatic duct) recieves/drains lymph from the rest of the body

Question 4

How does lymph move? Where does it flow to?

Answer 4

Unlike the cardiovascular system, skeletal muscle contractions keep lymph flowing continuously towards the heart

Question 5

Where are lymphatic vessels located? In which organs/muscles?

Answer 5

In organs/muscles with blood vessels

Question 6

What are lymph nodes?

Answer 6

Nodes located along the path of lymph vessels (in groups)

Question 7

What do lymph nodes filter out? What do they produce?

Answer 7

• Filters out impurities like carbon and dead erythrocytes
• Filters out harmful substances like bacteria and cancer cells
• Produces lymphocytes (special leukocytes)
• Produces antibodies

Question 8

What are the tonsils? Where are they located?

(3 pairs)

Answer 8

Lymph nodes in the back of the mouth and throat

• Palatine tonsils - Each side of soft palate
• Pharyngeal tonsils - (adenoids) upper part of throat
• Lingual Tonsils - Back of tongue

Question 9

Where is the spleen? What does it do?

Answer 9

• Located beneath the left side of the diaphragm (looks like a kidney)
• Stores large amount of erythrocytes to be released during excessive bleeding and/or vigorous exercise
• Destroys/removes excess RBCs

Question 10

Where is the thymus? What does it do?

Answer 10

• Located in the center of the upper thoracic cavity
• Important to children by producing progenitor cells (T-cells)
• T-cells destroy infected cells and help other immune organs to grow properly
• Large in infants until puberty

(the thymus primarily works to protect against childhood disease)

Question 11

What do the tonsils do? How would a person recieve lymph without them?

Answer 11

They act as lymph nodes, and without them, periodic lymph transfusions would be necessary

Question 12

What occurs when leukocytes are immature and innefective in fighting disease?

Answer 12

Leukemia