Lymphatic System
DR GURURAJ D JAHAGIRDAR
INTRODUCTION
• Defends the body from bacteria, viruses and other harmful Agents.
• Drainage system - Which is accessory to the venous system
COMPONENTS OF THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
1. Lymph
2. Lymph capillaries
3. Lymph vessels
4. Lymphoid organs
(a) Lymph nodes
(b) Spleen
(c) Thymus
5. Epithelio-lymphoid system
LYMPH
• Tissue fluid
• Clear watery fluid similar to plasma,
• Lymph from small intestine is milky white
(called chyle) because it contains large
droplets of fat absorbed from intestine.
• It carries away larger particles, e.g.
bacteria and cell debris which filtered
out and destroyed by the lymph
nodes.
• lymph contains lymphocytes,
macromolecules of protein, fat
droplets and particulate matter such
as dust particles, carbon particles,etc
LYMPH CAPILLARIES
• Microscopic
• Blind-ended lymph vessels which begin in the intercellular spaces.
• Made up of single layer of endothelial cells but they are more permeable to tissue
fluid
The sites where lymph capillaries are absent are:
1.Epidermis
2.Hair
3.Nails
4.Cornea
5.Articular cartilage
6.Brain and spinal cord
7.Bone marrow
8.Splenic pulp
Lymph vessels
• Thin-walled vessels,
• 0.5 to 1.0 mm in diameter
• Beaded appearance due to the presence
of numerous valves within their lumen.
• Unidirectional flow
• Pass through a series of lymph nodes
before the lymph is drained into the
venous system
Structure -wall
Three layers,
• Tunica adventitia,
• Tunica media
• Tunica intima.
According to the location, the lymph vessels are divided into two types:
1. Superficial lymph vessels, which are found in the superficial fascia deep to skin.
They join deep lymph vessels.
2. Deep lymph vessels, which are found deep to deep fascia and accompany the
blood vessels.
Thoracic Duct
• largest lymphatic duct
• 45 cm long
• Begins as the large sack-
like dilated lymph channel
called cysterna chyli –
• Starts at L1 and L2
vertebrae and ends in the
angle between the left
internal jugular vein and left
subclavian vein.
• It drains lymph from whole
of the body except right
upper quadrant
• Rt upper quadrant is drained
by right lymphatic duct.
Right Lymphatic Duct
• The right lymphatic duct is a dilated
lymph vessel about 1 cm long.
• It lies in the root of neck on the
right side and is formed by the
union of three vessels: right jugular
trunk, right subclavian trunk and
right broncho-mediastinal trunk. It
ends by opening in the angle
between right brachiocephalic vein
and right subclavian vein.
There are two types of principal lymph ducts:
1. Thoracic duct
2. Right lymphatic duct
Lymph Nodes
Shape: oval or bean, pin head to a large bean and are
somewhat flattened.
Size: 0.1-2.5 cm long,
Location : along the course of lymph vessels.
Color : pink in living body and
brownish in cadaver
Lungs : black
Intestine : creamy white
Lymph passes through a number of lymph nodes,
Superficial lymph nodes present along the veins,
Deep lymph nodes present along the arteries.
Principal groups of lymph nodes are:
• Cervical lymph nodes - Neck.
• Axillary nodes : Upper limb.
• Mediastinal lymph nodes : Thorax.
• Aortic and mesenteric lymph nodes : Abdomen.
• Iliac nodes : pelvis.
• Popliteal and inguinal nodes : Lower limb.
Number : about 450 lymph nodes in the body of a young individual;
60-70 in head—neck,
100 in the thorax
250 in the abdomen and pelvis.
Structure of Lymph Nodes
• Hilum.
• Afferent lymph vessels enter the gland at periphery –More
• Efferent lymphatic vessel leaves the gland through hilum. Single
Parts
1. Fibrous capsule
2. Gland substance (parenchyma).
Capsule
The fibrous capsule invests the entire node and
is separated from the gland
Trabeculae extended from capsule at variable
distances into the substance of the gland.
• An outer portion called cortex
• An inner portion called medulla
Afferent lymph
vessels pierce the
capsule and drain
into subcapsular
sinus.
From subcapsular
sinus, the lymph
drains via a series
of interconnected
channels, the
cortical and
medullary
sinuses, into the
hilum of the node
from which arises
single efferent
lymph vessel.
lymphoid follicles
• without germinal
centers are called
primary nodules
• with germinal
centers are called
secondary
nodules.
The germinal centers are
the areas of rapid
lymphocyte
division and occupied by
lymphoblasts and
plasmoblasts.
Flow of Blood
Functions of Lymph Nodes
1. Filter the lymph (i.e. when lymph passes through the lymph node, foreign
particles, injurious substances, including pathogens are removed by phagocytic
activities of macrophages of the lymph nodes).
2. Evoke immunological response. (The plasma cells of lymph node produce
antibodies in response to infection.)
3. Produce various types of lymphocytes. (The germinal centers of lymphatic
nodules within the node are sites of lymphocyte production.)
Thymus
• Shape : asymmetrical bilobed gland
• Located: superior mediastinum of thoracic
cavity behind the manubrium of sternum.
• Weight: 12-15 gm at birth , 30-40 g at
puberty and 10-15 g at 60 years.
• It is large and well developed in fetus and in
early childhood.
• It attains its peak development at puberty and
thereafter it starts involuting and is replaced
by fibrofatty tissue.
Structure
The thymus consists of supporting framework made by epithelial reticular cells and parenchymal
cells, viz. lymphocytes and macrophages.
Thus thymus contains the following three main types of cells:
1. Epitheliocytes (thymic epithelial cells)
2. Lymphocytes
3. Macrophages
Functions
• Production of T lymphocytes.
• It receives immunologically incompetent stem cells from bone
Marrow and mature into T lymphocytes (thymus-dependent cells).
• These cells leave the thymus via blood to the lymph nodes, spleen and
other lymphatic tissues.
• The T lymphocytes are important for both cellular and humoral
immunological responses.
• The thymus secretes a hormone called thymosin which supports
the activity of T lymphocytes throughout the body.
EPITHELIO-LYMPHOID SYSTEM
Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT).
• The large amount of unencapsulated lymphatic tissue exist in the walls of alimentary,
respiratory and genitourinary tracts.
• It is collectively termed as mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT).
• The mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue is generally subdivided into the following two
types:
• Gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT)
• Bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT)
The important aggregations of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue are as follows:
• Pharyngeal tonsil
• Tubal tonsil
• Palatine tonsil
• Lingual tonsil
• Peyer’s patches
Reticulo-Endothelial System
• The cells of this system
are concerned with
phagocytosis.
• They pick up, ingest and
store foreign substances.
Thus cells of this system
are important for general
and local defense
mechanisms.
The functions of the lymphatic system are as follows:
1. Drains excess tissue fluid to the venous system, i.e. tissue fluid which could
not be drained by the venous system.
2. Absorbs fat from the intestine and transports it to the blood.
3. Helps to provide
Only lymphoid organ in the body which is fully developed at birth-Thymus
Largest lymphatic channel in the body- Thoracic duct
Largest lymphoid organ in the body-
Largest lymphatic sac in the body
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