Lymphatics Flashcards
Functions of the lymphatic system
Drain, Transport, Immune
What is Interstitial fluid?
Interstitial fluid is the fluid that surrounds the body cells and bathes them with oxygen and nutrients
What is the lymphatic system comprised of?
- Lymph
- Lymph vessels
- Lymph nodes
- Lymph organs such as the spleen and thymus
- Includes lymphoid tissue such as the tonsils
- Includes bone marrow.
What system is the lymphatic system part of?
Circulatory system
Pathway of Lymph
- The lymphatic vessels eventually lead to lymphatic ducts. - The lymphatic ducts empty the lymph into the subclavian veins - The lymph now becomes part of the plasma again
What are some factors involved in the flow of lymph?
- Contraction of skeletal muscles
- Respiratory pump
- Gravity
Most flow of lymph in the body is due to?
The result of contracting skeletal muscles
Define intracellular fluid:
Fluid inside the cells
Define extracellular fluid:
Any fluid outside the cells
Which body compartment contains the largest proportion of total body fluid?
Intracellular fluid compartment
Identify three examples of extracellular fluid.
- Serous fluid
- Aqueous humor
- Cerebrospinal fluid
State four factors that can impact the flow of lymph through lymphatic vessels.
- Gravity
- Rate of lymph formation
- Respiratory pump helps to draw lymph upwards in side vessel
- Valves prevent backflow of lymph
Define interstitial fluid:
Fluid between cells
What causes the water from plasma to move from the arterial end of the capillary to the venous end of the capillary?
Hydrostatic pressure pushes water component of plasma through pores in the thin-walled capillary. Blood pressure causes fluid to move by filtration.
What causes interstitial fluid to return to the venous end of the capillary?
Hypertonic solution generated in the venous end when water moved out of the arterial end. This
hypertonic solution (containing albumin and other proteins) causes water to be pulled back into
venous end.
How does interstitial fluid become lymph?
Water moves from interstitial space into lymph vessels down a pressure gradient.
Overlapping cells of lymph vessels prevent fluid moving back into interstitial space.
Define oedema:
The presence of abnormally large amounts of fluid in the intercellular tissue spaces of the body.
Oedema can occur in any organ or tissue in the body, however there are areas that are more susceptible than others. Identify three locations where oedema is more likely to occur.
- Lungs
- Brain
- Gravity dependant areas such as limbs and lower back
What is Albumin?
Albumin is a protein that helps to regulate oncotic pressure in the vascular system
