‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحیم‬

Lymphatic Vessels
⚫ Lymphatic capillaries-microscopic blind-end
vessels where lymphatic vessels originate, wall
consists of a single layer of flattened
endothelial cells.
⚫ Similar to veins except lymphatic vessels have
thinner walls, have more valves and contain
lymph nodes.
Lymphatic capillary wall is formed by a single
layer of thin, flat endothelial cells
 Lymph
Clear, water-appearing fluid found in the lymphatic
vessels; closely resembles blood plasma in
composition but has a lower percentage of protein.
• Lymphatic capillaries
merge to form larger
lymphatic and
eventually form the
main lymphatic trunks
the right lymphatic
ducts and the
thoracic duct.
 Lymph Nodes

A. Structure of Lymph nodes

1. Lymph nodes are oval-shaped structures enclosed by a fibrous capsule.
2. Nodes are similar to biological filter
3. Once lymph enters a node, it moves slowly through sinuses to drain in
to efferent exit vessel

B. Location of Lymph nodes

Axillary lymph nodes popliteal lymph nodes, and inguinal lymph nodes
THE LYMPH NODE
Lymph Nodes
C. Functions of lymph nodes—perform two distinct
functions
1. Defense functions: filtration & phagocytosis—
reticuloendothelial cells remove microorganisms
and other injurious particles from lymph and
phagocytose them; if overwhelmed, the lymph
nodes can become infected or damaged.
2. Hematopoiesis—process of blood cell formation,
lymphatic tissue is the site for the final stages of
maturation of some lymphocytes & monocytes.
You’ll need to
be able to ID
these
Lymphatic
System
organs for
your TEST!
B. Structure of the Thymus
1. Pryamid-shaped lobes are subdivided into small lobules
 Thymus
Location & appearance of the Thymus
1. Primary central organ of lymphatic system

2. Single, unpaired organ located in the

mediastinum, extending upward to the
lower edge of the thyroid & inferiorly as far
as the 4th costal cartilage

3. Thymus is pinkish gray in children and

wish advancing age, becomes yellowish as
lymphatic tissue is replaced by fat.
 C. Function of the Thymus

1. Plays vital role in immunity mechanism

2. Source of lymphocytes before birth
3. Shortly after birth, the thymus secretes
Thymosin, which enables lymphocytes to
develop into T-Cells….
 Spleen
Location-in the left
hypochondrium
(either one of two
regions of the
abdomen), directly
below the diaphragm,
above the left kidney &
descending colon, &
behind the fundus (the
base of an organ) of
the stomach!
 Cont of Spleen
B. Structure of the Spleen
1. Ovoid in shape
2. Surrounded by fibrous capsule with inward
extensions that divide the organ into compartments.
3. White pulp-dense masses of developing lymphocytes
4. Red pulp-near outer regions, made up of a network of fine
reticular fibers submerged in blood that comes from nearby
arterioles.
C. Functions of the Spleen
1. Defense-macrophages lining the sunusoids of the spleen remove
microorganisms from the blood & phagocytose them
2. Hematopoiesis-monocytes & lymphocytes complete their development
in the spleen.
3. Red blood cell and platelet destruction-macrophages remove worn-out
RBC’s and imperfect platelets and destroy them by phagocytosis;
also salvage iron and globin from destroyed RBC’s
 Circulation of Lymph
1. Lymph moves through the system in the right
direction due to the large number of valves.

2. Breathing movements & skeletal muscle

contractions establish a lymph pressure
gradient, as they do with venous blood.

3. Lymphokinetic actions—activities that result

in a central flow of lymph.
Don’t confuse Lymphedema with Edema…

We’ll get to this later!