Lymphatic System

Dr. Riaz Hussain Pasha

• Lymphatic tissue has dual function:
• a) Lymphatic vessels drain interstitial tissue and returning
the fluid to main blood stream
• b) Lymphatic tissue produces phagocytes and
immunocompetent cells which are involved in the
immunity
• Immune system is a defense mechanism of the body
against pathogens (virus, bacteria, protozoa, toxins), also
called as antigen

• Lymphatic tissue give rise to two major cells:

• i) B-cells (B-lymphocytes)
• ii) T-cells (T-lymphocytes)
• B-cells …… Plasma cells…… antibodies (which circulate and result
in Humoral immunity)
• T-cells…. T-helper cells, T-cytotoxic cells (involve in cell mediated
immunity)
• NK cells…. Natural killer cells
• Lymphatic tissue comprised of reticular connective tissue (cells &
fibers) and lymphocytes & macrophages
• i) Diffused lymphatic tissue
• ii) Organized lymphatic tissue (lymphatic nodules)
• Diffused lymphatic tissue found scattered unorganized form, in the
Gut (digestive tract), respiratory system, urogenital system, skin and in
extra nodular areas of lymphatic organs
• Lymphatic nodules: lymphatic tissue organized into nodular form,
round organized form
• Primary lymphatic nodules: do not have germinal center
• Secondary lymphatic nodules: have central light stained area (germinal
center) & surrounding cortex or mantle
• Primary lymphatic organs: i) Bone marrow (mammals) ii) Cloacal
bursa (birds) iii) Thymus iv) Peyer,s patches (sheep & cattle)
• In mammals bone marrow is the source of pluripotent cells / stem
cells (B-cell precursors & B-cell differentiation)
• Cloacal bursa is located in the dorsal wall of cloaca, B-cells
differentiate here in case of birds
• Lymphatic tissue found in the mucosa of ileum , called as Peyer,s
patches, involve in expansion of early B-cell population in case of
sheep and cattle only
• Secondary lymphatic organs: i) MALT (Mucosal associated
lymphatic tissue) ii) Lymph node iii) Spleen iii) Tonsils
• Thymus:
• Thymus is primary lymphatic organ, anatomically comprised of right
& left lobes
• Surrounded by a capsule of dense irregular connective tissue,
continous as septa that subdivide the lobes into lobules, each lobule
has central medulla and outer cortex
• Thymic cortex mainly consists of an epithelial reticulum and
lymphocytes
• The reticular cells have large pale, ovoid nucleus & long cytoplasmic
branching processes that contain intermediate filaments
• Reticular epithelial cells/ reticular cells form a network &
lymphoblasts & lymphocytes are entangled in it
• Macrophages predominate in the medulla while cortex has high
number of lymphocytes
• Medulla comprised of network of epithelial reticular cells having
branching cytoplasmic processes
• Medulla is having Thymic or Hassall's corpuscles (having one to
several calcified / degenerated large central cells which are surrounded
by flat keratinized cells
• After maturity, thymus starts to involute, involution is characterized by
gradual depletion of lymphatic tissue (lymphocytes), enlargement of
epithelial reticular cells and invasion of parenchyma by adipose tissue
Thymus
• Secondary lymphatic organs: MALT: Mucosal associated lymphatic
tissue (respiratory, digestive, urogenital, skin, mammary glands)
• BALT: Bronchus associated lymphatic tissue
• GALT: Gut associated lymphatic tissue
• Lymph node: Filter lymph before returning to blood stream
• Only lymphatic organ with both afferent & efferent lymph vessels
• Organ has slight indentation (Hilus) where blood vessels enter / leave
• The parenchyma is organized into cortex (having lymphatic nodules &
diffused lymphatic tissue ) and medulla having diffused lymphatic
tissue arranged in cords
• Lymph nodes are surrounded by capsule, composed of DICT (dense
irregular connective tissue), in ruminants smooth muscle cells are also
present
• Trabeculae extend from the capsule into the parenchyma as irregular
septa , that are distributed throughout the cortex & medulla
• Trabeculae provide support, carry blood vessels, nerves & are
surrounded by sinuses
• The reticular cells & fibers form a network or meshwork in which
lymphocytes, macrophages and plasma cells are entangled
• Afferent lymph vessels penetrate the capsule at several different sites
and open into sub-capsular sinuses
• Cortical sinuses arise from the sub-capsular sinuses to accompany the
connective tissue trabeculae (trabecular sinuses) and continue into
medullary sinuses
• Reticular cells slow down the lymph flow, within the sinuses, help in
phagocytic activity of macrophages
• Cortex: most of the outer cortex consist of primary & secondary
lymphatic nodules separated by diffused lymphatic tissue
• The deep cortex is composed of diffused lymphatic tissue
• Medulla: The medulla is less organized than cortex (more plasma cells)
• Lymphatic tissue is diffused type and form cords, which are separated
by network of sinuses & CT trabeculae
 Schematic diagram of lymph node
1=capsule, 2=cortical sinuses, 4=cortex, 7=lymphatic nodule,
8=medullary cords, 9=medullary sinus, 12=sub-capsular sinus,
13=trabecula,
Lymph node
Lymph node
• Spleen: Major secondary lymphatic organ
• Functions: Filtration of blood
• Store house of blood cells (damaged RBC,s)
• During fetal life involve in erythropoiesis
• Involve in Immunity
• Structure: Spleen is surrounded by a thick capsule of connective
tissue
• Capsule has two layers: a layer of dense irregular connective tissue +
layer of smooth muscle
• Trabeculae composed of collagen, elastic fibers and smooth muscle
cells extended from capsule into parenchyma
• The trabeculae contain blood vessels, lymph vessels & nerves
• The capsule, trabeculae & reticular fibers support the splenic
parenchyma
• Parenchyma composed of red pulp involve in storage of red blood
cells and white pulp rich in lymphocytes & active in immune response
• Red pulp: most of the splenic parenchyma is red pulp, due to high
amount of blood held in the reticular network
• Red pulp is composed of venous sinuses or splenic sinuses / venules
& splenic cords
• Splenic sinuses are lined by elongated longitudinally oriented
endothelial cells which contain contractile microfilaments
• Splenic cords situated between the sinuses which are composed of
three dimensional network of reticular fibers with enmeshed reticular
cells, erythrocytes, macrophages, lymphocytes, plasma cells & other
leukocytes
• White pulp: Is lymphatic tissue that is distributed throughout the
spleen and is composed of lymphatic nodules and diffused lymphatic
tissue called as PALS (Peri-arterial lymphatic sheath) found around
the arteries of white pulp
• Marginal zone is the line of demarcation or a thin zone between the
white & red pulp
• Splenic artery……Capsule……..Trabecular arteries…………….
artery of white pulp (PALS)…Nodular artery (central artery)………..
Penicillar artery………………pulp arteriole……..sheathed capillary
(ellipsoids)…….terminal capillary

• Theories about circulation of spleen:

• First theory: / closed theory
• Terminal capillary …..open directly into splenic sinuses / venules
called as closed theory of circulation
• Second theory: open theory
• Terminal capillary open into spaces between reticular cells of red pulp
& then enter the venous sinuses through slits in their wall
• Third theory: proposes the existence of both open & closed
circulation. This is the most validated theory about the circulation of
spleen
 Schematic diagram of spleen
1=capsule, 2=central artery, 5= spleenic nodule, 8=red pulp, 9=trabecula,
11=white pulp
Spleen
• Hemal nodes: These are small, brown to dark red organs, found in
ruminants in the sub-lumbar area along vena cava and abdominal aorta
• Milk spots: Small aggregation of lymphocytes & macrophages that
occur along the blood vessels of omentum

• Tonsils : aggregated lymphatic tissue found beneath & in contact with

the epithelium of initial portion of the digestive tract
• i) Palatine ii) Pharyngeal iii) Lingual tonsils

• i) Palatine tonsils …. Bilobed…found along lateral wall of oral part of

pharynx (Oropharynx) (stratified squamous non-keratinized epi)
• ii) Pharyngeal tonsils… single….on superior posterior part of the
pharynx (Pseudo stratified columnar epithelium)
• iii) Lingual tonsils….smaller, at base of tongue, having single crypt
(stratified squamous non-keratinized epithelium)
Location of tonsils
Palatine tonsil