The Lymphatic System Flashcards
What does the Lymphatic System Consist of?
- Lymph Fluid
- Lymphatic Vessels
- Lymphatic Organs
What are the Lymphatic Organs?
- Red Bone Marrow
- Thymus
- Lymph Nodes (L.N.)
- Tonsils
- Spleen
What are the main functions of the Lymphatic System?
- Drains Excess Interstitial Fluid
- Transports Dietary Lipids
- Filters Lymph and Blood
- Carries Out Immunological Responses
Describe the look of the Lymph in the Lymphatic System?
- Clear
- Transparent
- Slightly Yellowish Fluid
What is the Structure of the Lymph?
- Resembles Blood Plasma but more dilute
How is Lymph Formed?
- Starts in the blood capillary network
- Plasma and nutrients diffuse into the interstitial tissue from the arterial capillaries to supply the target organ
- 85% of that interstitial fluid after exchanging nutrients goes back into venous capillaries
- 15% of the interstitial fluid enter the lymphatic vessels
What do the Lymphatic Capillaries do?
- Collect the remnants of the interstitial fluid
- Remove cell debrides and waste metabolic by-products from different tissues except the nervous system.
- Removes pathogens
- Receives dietary lipids from GI system and lymphocytes from blood
Describe the formation of Lymph Ducts?
- Lymphatic Vessels join to form the Lymph Trunks
- Lymph Trunks unite to form Lymph Ducts
Where do the Lymph Ducts drain?
- Into the Venous System
What are the Junctions between the Lymph Ducts and Venous System?
- Subclavian
- Internal Jugular Veins
What is the structure of the Lymph Nodes?
- Small Kidney shape, around 2 inches
What are the Lymph Nodes?
- The Site of the lymph filtration
- Site of B Lymphocytes Proliferation
How are Lymph Nodes Named? What are the main ones?
Named - The region they are found Main Ones - Cervical LN - Axillary LN - Lumbar LN - Inguinal LN
What do the Cervical Lymph Nodes accompany?
- Larger Venous System
Where are the Axillary Lymph Nodes?
- Around the Axillary Vein
Where are the Lumbar Lymph Nodes?
- Close to the post abdominal wall and vertebrae
What is the difference between the Afferent and Efferent Lymphatic Vessels?
- Afferent: they enter the lymph nodes
- Efferent: they leave the lymph nodes
What happens to the Lymph that is circulating in the Lymph Nodes?
- Monitored and Filtered
What is the structure of the Thymus?
- Anterior and Superior Mediastina, in front of the Fibrous Pericardium
- Two Lobes: Right and Left, 30-40 grams
What is the Function of the Thymus?
- Maturation of the T-Cells that are born in the bone marrow
What happens to the immature T-Cells?
- 2% turn into mature active ones
- 98% are digested by macrophages
What happens to the Thymus after puberty?
- It is replaced by connective tissue
How big is the Spleen?
- The size of your fist
Where is the Spleen located?
- Parallel to the Axis of ribs #9-11 on the left side
What is dangerous about fracturing ribs 9-11?
- Likely causes a spleen injury which can lead to severe internal hemorrhage
What are the two surfaces of the Spleen?
- Lateral Surface
- Medial Surface
Where is the Lateral Surface of the Spleen?
- Facing Diaphragm, Called the Diaphragmatic Surface
- Sitting Left Hypochondrial Area
What is the Visceral Surface of the Spleen? What is located there?
- Medial Surface: The Hilum is located there
Where is the Hilum located? What is it?
Location
- The Medial Surface of the Spleen
Hilum
- An area on the medial surface of the spleen where the splenic vein and artery enter or exit the organ and lymphatic vessels (efferent) enter the spleen
What is the Function of the spleen?
- Remove old and damaged red blood cells from circulation
What happens after a splenectomy? (removal of spleen)
- Bone marrow and liver take over red blood cell recycling
What is Splenomegaly?
- A large spleen due to a viral infection or inflammatory disease
Describe the structure of Tonsils?
- Partially capsulated lymphoid tissue
How many Tonsils are there? What are their names?
Tonsils - 5 Names - Pharyngeal Tonsils - Palatine Tonsils - Lingual Tonsils
Where are the Tonsils located?
- At the entrance of the GI and respiratory System
Where are the Pharyngeal Tonsils?
- Roof of the nasopharynx (behind the nasal cavity)
- Only 1
Where are the Palatine Tonsils?
- Paired
- Either side of the Oropharynx (bilateral)
Where are the Lingual Tonsils?
- Paired
- Base of the Tongue
What are the Functions of the Tonsils?
- Initiates immune response by producing antibodies against antigens
Where and What is the Cisterna Chyli?
Where
- In front of the LI Vertebrae
What
- Large Lymphatic Sac
Where does the Lymph from the Lumbar Trunk and Intestinal Trunk accumulate?
- The Cisterna Chyli
What arises from the Cisterna Chyli in the Posterior Mediastinum?
- The Thoracic Duct
Where does the Left Bronchomediastinal Trunk gather Lymph from? And where does it drain?
Gather
- Lymph from the lung and mediastinum on left
Drain
- Thoracic duct or draining independently to veins
Where does the Left Jugular Trunk gather lymph from? Where does it drain?
Gather
- Lymph from the Left side of head and neck
Drain
- Thoracic Duct
Where does the Thoracic Duct receive lymph from?
- Everywhere except the right hemithorax, right upper limb, and right side of the head and neck
What merges together to form the Right Lymphatic Duct?
- Right Jugular
- Right Bronchomediastinal
- Right Subclavian
Where does the Right Lymphatic Duct drain into?
- The Junction point of Right Subclavian Vein and Right Internal Jugular Vein Junction
Describe the path of the lymph from the right upper limb to the blood stream.
- To the Axillary Lymph Node
- To the Right Subclavian Trunk
- To the Right Lymphatic Duct
- Into the Internal Jugular Vein
What is the path of Lymph from the Right side of the Head and Neck on its way to the bloodstream?
- To the Right Jugular Trunk
- To the Right Lymphatic Duct
- Drains into the Junction of the R. Subclavian and R. Internal Junction Veins
what is the path of lymph from both lower limbs?
- To the Inguinal Lymph Nodes
- To the Pelvic Lymph Nodes
- To the Lumbar Trunk
- To the Cisterna Chyli
- To the Thoracic Duct
- drains into the left subclavian vein
What is the path of the lymph from the GI Tract?
- Pre-aortic Lymph Node
- to the Intestinal Trunk
- to the Cisterna Chyli
- To the Thoracic Duct
- Drains into the Left Subclavian Vein
What is the path of lymph from the Posterior Abdominal Wall?
- To the Para-aortic Lymph Node
- To the Lumbar Trunk
- To the Cisterna Chyli
- To the Thoracic Duct
- Drains into the Left Subclavian Vein
What is the path of lymph from the Left Upper Limb?
- To the Axillary Lymph Node
- To the Left Subclavian Trunk
- To the Thoracic Duct
- Drains into the Left Subclavian Vein
What is the path of the lymph from the Left head and Neck?
- To the Left Jugular Trunk
- to the THoracic Duct
- Drains into the Left Subclavian Vein
