LYMPHATIC SYSTEM

PRESENTED BY: GROUP

2
LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
PARTS AND FUNCTION
OF LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
 Consists of:
- Lymph
- Lymph vessels
- Lymph capillaries
- Lymph nodes and nodules
- Tonsils
- Spleen
- Thymus gland
- Bone marrow
- Peyer’s patches
- Appendix
 LYMPH
• Lymph “clear fluid”
• Derived from tissue fluid
• Enters node through afferent
lymphatic vessels
• Flows through node in one
direction
LYMPHATIC VESSEL
 LYMPHATIC VESSEL
• Resemble veins but have thinner walls
and more valves
• Ends of endothelial cells overlap
- Act as one-way valves allowing
interstitial fluid to flow in but not out
• Lymph is kept moving by:
- Constriction of vessels
- Skeletal muscle pump
- Respiratory pump
 LYMPHATIC DUCT
THORACIC DUCT RIGHT LEMPHATIC
• about 15-18 inches (38-45 DUCT
cm) in length • about 0.5 inches (1.5 cm) in
length
• begins as a dilation called the
cisterna chyli “large lymph • receives lymph from upper
vessel” right quadrant
• main collecting duct of • empties into the right
lymphatic system subclavian vein
• receives lymph from lower
body and upper left
quadrant
• empties into the left
subclavian vein
 LYMPHATIC DUCT
LYMPHATIC CAPILLARIES

• Lymph empties into two conducting ducts:

- the thoracic duct (left lymphatic duct)
- the right lymphatic duct

• Lymph from these ducts enters the blood stream via

the left subclavian vein and the right subclavian vein
 LYMPHATIC CAPILLARIES

• Microscopic closed-ended vessels

• Located next to blood capillaries in tissue spaces
• Larger diameter than blood capillaries
• Are very permeable and collect tissue fluid and
proteins
• Lymph capillaries merge to form larger lymph
vessels
 LYMPH NODES AND
NODULES
• covered by a capsule
• contain capsular extensions called trabeculae (form
partitions within node)
• internal to capsule are reticular fibers and fibroblasts
- form framework of a lymph node
• Two main regions of a lymph node:
- cortex
- medulla
 LYMPH NODES AND
NODULES
CORTEX MEDULLA
• outer region directly • inner region
beneath the capsule
• lymphocytes are
• contains densely arranged in strands
packed lymphocytes called medullary cords
arranged in masses
- contain macrophages
called follicles
and plasma cells
- outer rim of follicle
contains T cells,
macrophages, and follicular
dendritic cells (aid in T cell
activation)
 MAJOR LYMPH NODES
HCERVICAL
• located in neck area, filter lymph from head and neck

AXILLARY
• located in armpits, filter lymph from hand, arm, breast

HINGUINAL
• located in groin area, filter lymph from lower extremities and external
genital organs
MESENTERIC
• located in abdominal peritoneum, filter lymph from abdominal cavity
 TONSILS
• Aggregations of large
lymphatic nodules
• Embedded in mucous
membrane
• Located beneath
epithelium of pharynx
and oral cavities
• Protect nasal and oral
cavities
• Three types:
- Nasopharyngeal tonsils
- Palatine tonsils
- Lingual tonsils
 TONSILS
NASOPHARYN
GEAL
TONSILS
- Commonly called adenoids
- Located:
- Behind nose

PALATINE
TONSILS
• Usually referred to as the “tonsils”
• Location:
• Back of mouth
• Most commonly removed - tonsillectomy
LINGUAL
TONSILS
• Base of tongue
• First line of defense from exterior
 SPLEEN
• Largest lymphatic organ
• Located in upper left abdominal
quadrant
• Between fundus of stomach and
diaphragm
• 5-6 inches long, 2-3 inches wide
• Resembles a large lymph node
• Filters blood
 THYMUS
• two-lobed organ
• located in upper part
of chest along
trachea
• inferior to thyroid
gland, posterior to
sternum
• largest and most
active during prenatal
period and infancy
• after puberty it
decreases in size
 Bone marrow, Peyer’s
patches, Appendix
• Bone marrow
- sponge tissues
• Peyer’s patches
- These are small masses of lymphatic tissue in
the mucous membrane
• Appendix
-appendix contains lymphoid tissue