The Lymphatic System

Hannah Beatriz I. Dela Cruz

Instructor
 The Lymphatic System

○ The lymphatic system is a network of tissues, vessels and organs

that work together to move a colorless, watery fluid called
lymph back into your circulatory system
○ Unidirectional flow; from tissues to the circulatory system
○ Fluid moves from blood capillaries into tissue spaces. Most of
the fluid returns to the blood, but some move from the tissue
spaces into lymphatic capillaries to become lymph
○ Role in immunity

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Lymphatic Circulation
 Lymph

30 liters of fluid pass from the blood capillaries into the interstitial spaces
each day, whereas only 27 L goes back into the blood capillaries.
The 3 L of fluid enters the lymphatic capillaries, where it is called lymph,
and it passes through the lymphatic vessels to return to the blood
Composition:
○ Substances in plasma (ions, nutrients, gases, and some proteins)
○ Hormones, enzymes, and waste products, derived from cells within the
tissues

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 Lymphatic Capillaries

○ Receives the fluid from the tissue spaces; the fluid is denoted as
lymph once it enters the lymphatic capillaries
○ Present in most body tissues
○ Simple Squamous Epithelium
○ Overlapping epithelial cells act as valves to prevent backflow

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 Lymphatic Vessels

○ Lymphatic capillaries join to form larger lymphatic vessels

○ Have a beaded appearance due to their one-way valves
○ Resemble veins
○ Collect lymph interstitial spaces in the regions served, and conduct
it toward blood circulation

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 Lymphatic Vessels

The lymphatic vessels converge and eventually empty into the blood at two
locations in the body:
Right Lymphatic Duct
- Lymphatic vessels from the right upper limb and the right half of the
head, neck, and chest
- Empties into the right subclavian vein
Thoracic Duct
- Lymphatic vessels from the rest of the body
- Empties into the left subclavian vein

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 Lymph Nodes

○ Small round organs located at irregular intervals in the lymph

vessel network
○ Uneven distribution but with major aggregations at the neck
(cervical), armpit (axillary), and groin (inguinal)
○ Composed of lymphatic tissue that houses lymphocytes and
macrophages, both of which are defense cells and play a role in
body immunity

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 Lymph Nodes

Afferent Lymph Vessels

- Conduct lymph into a node
Efferent Lymph Vessels
- Conduct lymph out of each node
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 Lymph Nodes
Lymph Nodule
- Dense masses
- Germinal center
- Rapidly dividing lymphocytes
- Lymph Sinus
- Surrounds each node
- Lymph circulation
- Macrophages
Fibrous Capsule
- Outer boundary
- Supports the lymph node
- Inner surface has inward extensions
that separate the nodules from each
other
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Major Lymphatic
Organs
 Tonsils

○ Protective lymphatic
tissue that protects
against pathogens
entering the nose or
mouth
○ Inflammation usually
means ongoing infection

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 Tonsils

Palatine
- Lateral side of the opening of
the mouth into the throat
Pharyngeal
- Top of the throat/pharynx
near the posterior nasal cavity
Lingual
- Posterior of the tongue’s base

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 Spleen

○ Located at the upper left abdominal cavity

○ Filters blood instead of lymph
○ Cells within the spleen detect and respond
to foreign substances in the blood and
destroy worn-out red blood cells
□ Lymphocytes in the white pulp can be
stimulated
□ Macrophages in the red pulp remove
foreign substances and worn-out red
blood cells through phagocytosis
○ The spleen also functions as a blood
reservoir, holding a small volume of blood.

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 Spleen

Capsule
- Dense CT
Trabeculae
- Divides the internal spleen into compartments containing the red
and white pulp
White Pulp
- Lymphatic tissues surrounding the arteries
Red Pulp
- Lymphatic tissues associated with the veins
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 Thymus

○ Bilobed gland roughly triangular in shape located at the anterior

mediastinum
○ Each lobe of the thymus is surrounded by a thin connective tissue capsule

Trabeculae
- Divide each lobe into lobules
Cortex
- Dark-staining areas
- Houses lymphocytes
Medulla
- Lighter-staining, central portion of the lobules
- Has fewer lymphocytes.
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 Thymus

T cells
- A class of lymphocyte
- Pre-T cells are produced in the red bone marrow but migrate to the thymus
for maturation. Afterwards, they migrate to the medulla, enter the blood,
and travel to other lymphatic tissues, where they help protect against
pathogens.
B cells
- Produced and matures at the red bone marrow

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End of Presentation
Thank you!