Overview of the Lymphatic System Flashcards
What is lymph?
Clear watery fluid, made from reabsorbed interstitial fluid
What are the 4 roles of lymph?
Drain excess interstitial fluid, transport dietary lipids, carries out immune responses and returns lost plasma proteins
Where is lymph not found? (4)
Avascular tissues, CNS, portions of the spleen and bone marrow
What is the general passage of lymph?
Lymphatic capillary–>vessel–> node–>trunk–>ducts
What 2 ways is lymph transported?
Via skeletal muscle pump and respiratory pump
What are the 5 lymphatic trunks?
Jugular, subclavian, bronchomediastinal, interstinal and lumbar
What drains into the right lymphatic duct?
R jugular, R subclavian, R bronchomediastinal trunk (RUQ)
What drains into the thoracic duct?
Lower limbs, lumbar and intestinal trunks, L jugular, L subclavian and L bronchomediastinal
What are primary lymphatic organs?
Sites where stem cells divide and become immunocompetent
What are secondary lymphatic organs? Give 3 examples
Where most immune responses occur. e.g. lymph nodes, spleen and lymph nodules
What is the role of lymph nodes?
Act as a filter to trap foreign substances by reticular fibres
What are the functions of the spleen? (4)
Immune mediated responses, degradation of RBC, haematopoesis in fetal life and storage of RBC
What is filariasis?
A parasitic disease caused by microscopic worms, microfilaria bancrofti, which causes bulging leg appearance like growths
What are 2 primary lymphatic organs?
Red bone marrow and the thymus
