The Lymphatic system

Question 1

What does the lymphatic system consist of?

Answer 1

Lymph
Lymphatic vessels
Lymphatic tissue
Red bone marrow

Question 2

What are the functions of the lymphatic system?

Answer 2

1. Drainage of interstitial fluid
2. Transporting dietary lipids and lipids soluble vitamins
3. Facilitation of immune response

Question 3

What is hydrostatic pressure?

Answer 3

The pushing force exerted by a fluid

Question 4

What is interstitial fluid pressure?

Answer 4

Proposed to be slightly negative which contributes to the outward pull of fluid from capillaries.

Question 5

What is colloidal osmotic pressure?

Answer 5

The pulling force created by blood proteins that are too large to pass through the pores of the membrane

Question 6

What is interstitial osmotic pressure?

Answer 6

Created by a small number of plasma proteins that have leaked into the extracellular tissue space

Question 7

How is interstitial fluid formed?

Answer 7

Blood hydrostatic pressure pushes blood plasma out of the blood capillaries to bathe the surrounding tissues.

The blood plasma is now known as interstitial fluid

Question 8

How is osmotic pressure built up?

Answer 8

The blood protein, Albumin, is too large to leave the capillaries and creates an osmotic pressure. This pulls interstitial fluid back into the blood capillaries

Question 9

How is interstitial pressure drained?

Answer 9

It needs to be drained or swelling will occur (oedema)

Drainage occurs via the lymphatic capillaries and lymph vessels.

Question 10

How is lymph drained?

Answer 10

Lymph capillaries join to form lymph vessels. These vessels have certain internal structures to ensure the one way flow of lymph.

It is then drained into one of two ducts which return the lymph to the blood.

Question 11

How does the cardiovascular system and the lymphatic system work together?

Answer 11

1. Plasma form interstitial fluid
2. Interstitial fluid is returned to the plasma
3. Fluid that’s not returned to plasma enters the lymph capillary to form lymph
4. lymph is returned to the cardiovascular system

Question 12

What factors influence oedema?

Answer 12

1. Increased capillary filtration pressure
2. Decreased capillary colloid osmotic pressure
3. Increased capillary permeability
4. Obstruction to lymph flow

Question 13

Where are lymph nodes located?

Answer 13

Tonsils
Thymus 
Spleen 
Peyer's patches 
Appendix

Question 14

What is a lymph node?

Answer 14

Found along lymph vessels, they are bean-shaped structures that receive the lymph from afferent vessels.

The lymph is the drained by efferent vessels

Question 15

What do lymphocytes do?

Answer 15

Produce antibodies.

Found between the reticular cells

Question 16

What does MALT stand for?

Answer 16

M - mucosa
A - associated
L - lymphoid
T - tissue

Question 17

What is MALT?

Answer 17

a collection of nodules which are found in the mucosa of tubular structures in respiratory, reproductive and urinary

Question 18

How many tonsils do we have and what are they called?

Answer 18

2 x palatine tonsils
2 x lingual tonsils
1 x pharyngeal or adenoid

Question 19

What do tonsils do?

Answer 19

Filters air

Question 20

What is the thymus gland?

Answer 20

A gland that produces thymic factors.

Thymic factors is important in setting up the immune system and the formation of T cells

Question 21

When is the immune system at its most active?

Answer 21

When it is being established during childhood.

As a result, the thymus is at its largest during childhood

Question 22

Where is the spleen located?

Answer 22

On the left side of the abdominal cavity below the diaphragm

Question 23

What is the spleen comprised of?

Answer 23

Reticular cells (lymphatic tissue)

Red pulp (removes worn out platelets and RBCs)

White pulp (carries out immune function)