Overview of the Lymphatic System

Question 1

What are the functions of lymphatics and immune systems?

Answer 1

Draining excess interstitial fluid to bloodstream
Transport dietary lipids
Immune responses

Question 2

What would happen in the absence of a lymphatic capillary?

Answer 2

with time, fluid would build up in the tissue which would leave rise to oedema

Question 3

Where does interstitial fluid re-enter circulation?

Answer 3

Capillaries at venous ends
Lymphatic capillaries

Question 4

What is tissue fluid called when it enters lymphatics?

Answer 4

Lymph

Question 5

What feature is highly present in lymph vessels?

Answer 5

Valves

Question 6

What percentage of tissue fluid is returned into circulation?

Answer 6

10-20%

Question 7

Are lymph capillaries permeable?

Answer 7

Highly so allowing entry of tissue fluid, bacteria, viruses and cancer cells

Question 8

What is the role of lymphatics?

Answer 8

Collect lymph from lymph capillaries

Question 9

Where are lymphatics found?

Answer 9

They accompany blood vessels

Question 10

How do lymph vessels differ from blood vessels?

Answer 10

Contains more valves than veins
More frequent interconnections
Arranged in networks

Question 11

What happens in lymph nodes?

Answer 11

Screening of lymph

Question 12

Where are lymph capillaries absent in the body?

Answer 12

CNS
Bone marrow
Avascular tissue

Question 13

Name examples of avascular tissues

Answer 13

Articular and other cartilages
Nails
Epidermis
Cornea
Hair

Question 14

What name is given to specialised lymphatic capillaries?

Answer 14

Lacteals

Question 15

Where are lacteals located?

Answer 15

Villi of small intestine

Question 16

What is the role of lacteals?

Answer 16

Receive digested fats

Question 17

What name is given to the fatty lymph?

Answer 17

Chyle

Question 18

Where does lymph from the limbs drain to?

Answer 18

Where limbs are attached to the trunk

Question 19

What is found on the external surface of a lymph node?

Answer 19

Fibrous capsule

Question 20

What name is given to lymph vessels that enter the lymph node?

Answer 20

Afferent

Question 21

What name is given to lymph vessels that leave the lymph node?

Answer 21

Efferent

Question 22

What is the function of lymph nodes?

Answer 22

Lymph percolates through and antigens are destroyed and activate B & T lymphocytes

Question 23

Where does lymph NOT pass through series of nodes?

Answer 23

Paired viscera on posterior abdominal wall e.g. kidney, ovary, testis
Thyroid gland

Question 24

Where do paired viscera on the posterior abdominal wall drain to?

Answer 24

Para-aortic nodes without being filtered in any outlying nodes

Question 25

Where does the thyroid gland drain to?

Answer 25

Directly into neck veins without any nodes

Question 26

What are the 7 major lymph trunks?

Answer 26

Right & left jugular trunks Right and left subclavian trunks Right and left bronchomediastinal trunks Thoracic duct (biggest)

Question 27

Where do the jugular trunks drain from?

Answer 27

Head and neck

Question 28

Where do the subclavian trunks drain from?

Answer 28

The upper limbs

Question 29

Where do the bronchomediastinal trunks drain from?

Answer 29

Much of the thoracic cavity

Question 30

Where does the thoracic duct drain from?

Answer 30

Drains most of lymph below diaphragm and some posterior structures

Question 31

Where does all lymph eventually drain into?

Answer 31

Right lymphatic duct and thoracic duct

Question 32

What does the right lymphatic duct drain?

Answer 32

Right side of head Right upper limb Right side of thorax

Question 33

What is unusual about the right lymphatic duct?

Answer 33

Only present in 15-20% of the population

Question 34

What is the course of the thoracic duct?

Answer 34

Begins as cisterna chyli Ascends along vertebral bodies Empties into venous circulation (junction of left IJV and left subclavian veins)

Question 35

Where does the right lymphatic duct empty?

Answer 35

Right IJV and subclavian veins

Question 36

What factors propel lymph towards venous system?

Answer 36

Contraction of skeletal muscle Pulses in arteries

Question 37

What cells are found in the lymphatic system?

Answer 37

Lymphocytes

Question 38

What are the encapsulated lymphatic organs?

Answer 38

Lymph nodes, spleen, thymus

Question 39

Where is the thymus located?

Answer 39

anterior mediastinum

Question 40

What is the role of the thymus?

Answer 40

Lymphocyte maturation

Question 41

When does the thymus have the fastest rate of growth?

Answer 41

First year of life

Question 42

When does the thymus decrease in size?

Answer 42

60 years

Question 43

What are the simplest lymphoid organs?

Answer 43

Tonsils

Question 44

What are the names of the groups of tonsils?

Answer 44

Palatine tonsil Pharyngeal tonsils Lingual tonsils

Question 45

Where are the palatine tonsils found?

Answer 45

Side of mouth

Question 46

Where are the pharyngeal tonsils found?

Answer 46

Above the palette

Question 47

Where are lingual tonsils found?

Answer 47

Back of tongue

Question 48

What is the role of the tonsils?

Answer 48

Forms a ring around border between oral cavity and pharynx Gather and remove pathogens

Question 49

Where is the spleen located?

Answer 49

Left side in abdomen

Question 50

When are spleens often damaged?

Answer 50

Road traffic accident due to fractured rib

Question 51

What is the function of the spleen?

Answer 51

Detects and responds to foreign substances Destroys defective RBCs Limited reservoir for blood

Question 52

Where are Peyer's patches found?

Answer 52

Located in distal part of small intestine

Question 53

What does MALT stand for?

Answer 53

Mucosa associated lymphoid tissue

Question 54

What is the role of Peyer's patches and the appendix?

Answer 54

Fight invading bacteria

Question 55

Where is the appendix located?

Answer 55

Tubular offshoot of caecum

Question 56

What is chylothorax?

Answer 56

Leakage of fatty lymph into thorax

Question 57

What is mononucleosis?

Answer 57

Viral disease caused by Epstein-Barr virus Attacks B lymphocytes

Question 58

What is another name for mononucleosis?

Answer 58

Glandular fever

Question 59

What is lymphangitis?

Answer 59

Inflammation of lymph vessel

Question 60

What does an acute bacterial infection cause in the Lymphatic system?

Answer 60

Draining lymph nodes are enlarged, tender and painful Lymphatics have lymphangitis - tender reddened streaks

Question 61

What is Hodgkin's disease?

Answer 61

Malignancy of lymph nodes

Question 62

What is non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma?

Answer 62

Uncontrolled multiplication and metastasis of undifferentiated lymphocytes

Question 63

Where does tumour of epithelia drain to?

Answer 63

Lymph nodes

Question 64

Where would you examine to confirm a tumour in the breast of your patient?

Answer 64

Axillary lymph nodes

Question 65

What is a metastases?

Answer 65

Secondary deposit of cancer cells in lymph node

Question 66

In malignant cells, how do lymph nodes present?

Answer 66

Enlarged but not tender