Spleen and the Lymphatic System Flashcards
Purpose of the Lymphatic System
Absorb the amount of blood cell leakage caused after the arterioles end into the capillary beds, sending it back into the venous end of the bloodstream.
Cancers of the Lymphatic System
Non Hodgkins Lymphona and Hodgkins Disease
Nodes which when enlarged are a tell-tale sign of cancer
Virchow’s Nodes
Two main lymph ducts
Right Lymphatic Duct and the Thoracic Duct
What are Lymphoid Organs
Sites where lymphocytes are produced or activated
What are lymphocytes
Cells which filter out unwanted particles of cancer cells from the lymph at the lymph nodes
Lymph nodes
Stopping points where lymph is filtered by lymphocytes
Thymus
Lymphoid Organ where T Cells Mature.
What happens to the Thymus during and after puberty?
The Thymus starts to shrink, turning into almost entirely fat by age 40. This is one of the most famous examples of involution (shrinking of an organ).
Responsibility of the Red Pulp of the Spleen
Filtering blood and removing Old Red Blood Cells
Cords in the Spleen that contain a reserve of monocytes (type of white blood cell)
Cords of Billroth
Name for patches of Lymphatic Tissue used for specialized purposes in sensitive areas like the Lungs and the GI track
MALTs (Mucosa Associated Lymphatic Tissue) but sometimes the digestive ones are called GALTs (Gut associated lymphatic Tissue)
MALT surrounding the pharynx and including the tonsils
Waldeyer’s Ring
MALT (GALT) in the small intestine
Peyer’s Patch
Responsibility of White Pulp of the Spleen
Synthesizing Antibodies
