The Microcirculation & Lymphatic

System

Structure of the Microcirculation

Capillary System
Metarterioles
Precapillary sphincter
Large preferential channels
Small true capillaries

Structure of the Microcirculation

Metarteriole

Arteriole

Precapillary
Sphincter

Venule

True Arterioles

Preferential
Channel

Structure of the Microcirculation

(1 Endothelial Cell Thick)
Plasmalemmal
Vesicles
Endothelial Cell

Vesicular
Channel?

Intercellular
Cleft

Basement
Membrane
(Collagen Type I)

Transport Mechanisms

Diffusion
Intercellular Clefts
Plasmalemmal Vesicles
Tight Junctions (brain)
Open Junctions (liver)
Fenestra (kidney)

Capillary Vasomotion
Intermittent flow regulated by precapillary
sphincters.
Controlled by O2 concentration.

Diffusion through Capillary

Membrane
Lipid soluable through endothelial cell
membrane.
Water soluable through intercellular
pores
Size Dependent

Diffusion through Capillary Membrane

Permeability (Relative to Water)

1.2

Water
1
0.8
0.6
0.4

Albumin

0.2
0
10

100

1000

10000

100000

Molecular Weight (Daltons)

This figure illustrates that the permeability of substances through

capillary membrane decreases roughly with the logarithm of size.

Limphatic system
End collecting vessels of system are
single walled endothelial cells
lacking tight junctions
possess fine filaments which anchor them to
connective tissue

Limphatic system
with contractions, these filaments can pull on
endothelial cells, allowing protein, large
particles or cells to enter lymph system
Contain one-way valves, like the veins
Collecting vessels drain into larger vessels, which
ultimately enter the right and left subclavian veins
Recover and return about 15% of blood volume lost
through capillary filtration
In a single day, this is equivalent to the total plasma
volume
returns proteins to the blood
In a single day, this is represents about to the
circulating plasma proteins

Disease: Lymphodema
Severe edema in affected area

Lymphatic system
Lymph capillaries drain excess fluid from
interstitial spaces
No true lymphatic vessels found in
superficial portions of skin, CNS,
endomysium of muscle, & bones
Thoracic duct drains lower body & left
side of head, left arm, part of chest
Right lymph duct drains right side of head,
neck, right arm and part of chest

CNS-modified lymphatic
function

No true lymphatic vessels in CNS

Perivascular spaces contain CSF &
communicate with subarachnoid space
Plasma filtrate & escaped substances in
perivascular spaces returned to the
vascular system in the CSF via the
arachnoid villi which empties into dural
venous sinuses
Acts a functional lymphatic system in CNS

Formation of Lymph
Excess plasma filtrate-resembles ISF
from tissue it drains
[Protein] 3-5 gm/dl in thoracic duct
liver 6 gm/dl
intestines 3-4 gm/dl
most tissues ISF 2 gm/dl

2/3 of all lymph from liver & intestines

Any factor that filtration and/or
reabsorption will lymph formation

Rate of Lymph Formation/Flow

Thoracic duct- 100 ml/hr.
Right lymph duct- 20 ml/hr.
Total lymph flow- 120 ml/hr (2.9 L/day)
Every day a volume of lymph roughly equal
to your entire plasma volume is filtered

Function of Lymphatics
Return lost protein to the vascular system
Drain excess plasma filtrate from ISF space
Carry absorbed substances/nutrients
(e.g. fat-chlyomicrons) from GI tract
Filter lymph (defense function) at lymph
nodes
lymph nodes-meshwork of sinuses lined with
tissue macrophages (phagocytosis)