LymphaticSystem

LymphaticVesselstransportonlyinthe
directiontowardtheheart.
Pickuptheextratissuefluidthatcapillariesleave
Lymphtheinterstitialfluidcarriedbylymphatics

LymphaticOrgansfiltrationdevicesstagedat
variousimportantjunctionpointsinthebody

LymphVessels
Lymphaticcapillariesdiffuse,highlypermeabledueto
presenceof:
Minivalveslooselyoverlappingendothelialcells
Collagenfiberattachmenttosurroundingstructuresprevents
collapseofcapillary

Lymphaticcollectingvesselslikeveinsbutthinnerwalled
w/morevalvesandanastomoses
Lymphatictrunkslumbar,bronchomediastinal,
subclavian,jugularandintestinal
LymphaticductsRightLymphaticDuct&ThoracicDuct

LymphaticCapillaries

Figure 20.1b

LymphaticCapillaries
Duringinflammation,lymphcapillariescan
absorb:
Celldebris
Pathogens
Cancercells

Cellsinthelymphnodescleanseand
examinethisdebris
Lactealsspecializedlymphcapillaries
presentinintestinalmucosa
Absorbdigestedfatanddeliverchyletotheblood

LymphaticCollectingVessels

Havethesamethreetunicsasveins
Havethinnerwalls,withmoreinternalvalves
Anastomosemorefrequently
Collectingvesselsintheskintravelwith
superficialveins
Deepvesselstravelwitharteries
Nutrientsaresuppliedfrombranchingvasa
vasorum

LymphaticTrunks
Lymphatictrunksareformedbytheunion
ofthelargestcollectingducts
Majortrunksinclude:
Pairedlumbar,bronchomediastinal,subclavian,
andjugulartrunks
Asingleintestinaltrunk

LymphaticTrunks
Lymphisdeliveredintooneoftwolarge
trunks
Rightlymphaticductdrainstherightupper
armandtherightsideoftheheadandthorax
Thoracicductarisesfromthecisternachyli
anddrainstherestofthebody

LymphTransport
Thelymphaticsystemlacksapumpingorgan
Vesselsarelowpressureconduits
Usesthesamemethodsasveinstopropel
lymph:
Pulsationsofnearbyarteries
Contractionsofsmoothmuscleinthewallsof
thelymphatics

LymphoidCells
Lymphocytesarethemaincellsinvolvedin
theimmuneresponse
Twomainvarieties:
Tcells
Bcells

Lymphocytes
TcellsandBcellsprotectthebodyagainst
antigens
Antigenanythingthebodyperceivesas
foreign
Bacteriaandtheirtoxins;viruses
MismatchedRBCsorcancercells

Lymphocytes
Tcells
Managetheimmuneresponse
Attackanddestroyforeigncells

Bcells
Produceplasmacells,whichsecreteantibodies
Antibodiesimmobilizeantigens

OtherLymphoidCells
Macrophagesphagocytizeforeign
substancesandhelpactivateTcells
Dendriticcellsspinylookingcellswith
functionssimilartomacrophages
Reticularcellsfibroblastlikecellsthat
produceastroma,ornetwork,thatsupports
othercelltypesinlymphoidorgans

LymphoidTissue
Diffuselymphatictissuescatteredreticular
tissueelementsineverybodyorgan
Largercollectionsappearinthelaminapropriaof
mucousmembranesandlymphoidorgans

Lymphaticfollicles(nodules)solid,spherical
bodiesconsistingoftightlypackedreticular
elementsandcells
GerminalcentercomposedofdendriticandBcells
Foundinisolationandaspartoflargerlymphoid
organs

LymphNodes
Principallymphoidorgansofthebody
Embeddedinconnectivetissueand
clusteredalonglymphaticvessels
Aggregationsofthesenodesoccurnearthe
bodysurfaceininguinal,axillary,and
cervicalregionsofthebody

Figure 20.4a

LymphNodes
Twobasicfunctions:
Filtrationmacrophagesdestroy
microorganismsanddebris
Immunesystemactivationmonitorfor
antigensandmountanattackagainstthem

StructureofaLymphNode
Nodesarebeanshapedandsurroundedbya
fibrouscapsule
Trabeculaeextendedinwardfromthecapsule
anddividethenodeintocompartments
Nodeshavetwohistologicallydistinct
regions:acortexandamedulla

Figure 20.4a

StructureofaLymphNode
Cortexcontainsfollicleswithgerminal
centers,heavywithdividingBcells
Dendriticcellsnearlyencapsulatethe
follicles
DeepcortexhousesTcellsintransit
Tcellscirculatecontinuouslyamongthe
blood,lymphnodes,andlymphaticstream

StructureofaLymphNode
Medullarycordsextendfromthecortexand
containBcells,Tcells,andplasmacells
Throughoutthenodearelymphsinuses
crisscrossedbyreticularfibers
Macrophagesresideonthesefibersand
phagocytizeforeignmatter

StructureofaLymphNode

Figure 20.4a, b

CirculationintheLymphNodes
Lymphentersviaafferentlymphaticvessels
Itthenentersalargesubcapsularsinusand
travelsintosmallersinuses
Itmeandersthroughthesesinusesandexits
thenodeatthehilusviaefferentvessels
Becausetherearefewerefferentvessels,
lymphstagnatessomewhatinthenode
Thisallowslymphocytesandmacrophages
timetocarryoutprotectivefunctions

LymphVessel&TransportDisorders
Lymphangitisinflammationofthelarger
lymphaticsvasavasorumwhichcongest
withblood
Lymphedemacollectionoffluidinthe
interstitial,abdominal,andpleuralspaces
blockageofdrainageorlossaftercancer
surgery
hypoproteinemia

OtherLymphoidOrgans
Thespleen,thymusgland,andtonsils
Peyerspatchesandbitsoflymphatictissue
scatteredinconnectivetissue
Allarecomposedofreticularconnective
tissue
Allhelpprotectthebody
Onlylymphnodesfilterlymph

Spleen
Largestlymphoidorgan,locatedontheleft
sideoftheabdominalcavitybeneaththe
diaphragm
Itisservedbythesplenicarteryandvein,
whichenterandexitatthehilus
Functions:
Siteoflymphocyteproliferation
Immunesurveillanceandresponse
Cleansestheblood

AdditionalSpleenFunctions
StoresbreakdownproductsofRBCsfor
laterreuse
Spleenmacrophagessalvageandstoreironfor
laterusebybonemarrow

Siteoffetalerythrocyteproduction
(normallyceasesafterbirth)
Storesbloodplatelets

StructureoftheSpleen
Surroundedbyafibrouscapsule,ithas
trabeculaethatextendinwardandcontains
lymphocytes,macrophages,andhuge
numbersoferythrocytes
Twodistinctareas:
Whitepulpcontainingmostlylymphocytes
suspendedonreticularfibersandinvolvedin
immunefunctions
Redpulpremainingsplenictissueconcerned
withdisposingofwornoutRBCsand
bloodbornepathogens

Thymus
Youngindividuals
Agingreducesittofibrous/fattytissue
CreatesimmunocompetentTcells
UniquesinceitDOESNTgetinvolvedinthe
immunereactiontoantigens
Thymocytesresideinepithelialtissuerather
thanreticulocytes

Thymus
Abilobedorganthatsecreteshormones
(thymosinandthymopoietin)thatcauseT
lymphocytestobecomeimmunocompetent
Sizeofthethymusvarieswithage:
Ininfants,itisfoundintheinferiorneckand
extendsintothemediastinumwhereitpartially
overliestheheart
Itincreasesinsizeandismostactiveduring
childhood
Itstopsgrowingduringadolescenceandthen
graduallyatrophies

InternalAnatomyoftheThymus
Thymiclobescontainanoutercortexand
innermedulla
Cortexcontainsdenselypacked
lymphocytesandscatteredmacrophages
Medullacontainsfewerlymphocytesand
thymic(Hassalls)corpuscles

Thymus
Thethymusdiffersfromotherlymphoid
organsinimportantways
ItfunctionsstrictlyinTlymphocytematuration
Itdoesnotdirectlyfightantigens

Thestromaofthethymusconsistsofstar
shapedepithelialcells(notreticularfibers)
Thesethymocytessecretethehormonesthat
stimulatelymphocytestobecome
immunocompetent

Tonsils
Simplestlymphoidorgans;formaringof
lymphatictissuearoundthepharynx
Location:
Palatinetonsilseithersideoftheposteriorendof
theoralcavity
Lingualtonsilslieatthebaseofthetongue
Pharyngealtonsilposteriorwallofthe
nasopharynx
Tubaltonsilssurroundtheopeningsofthe
auditorytubesintothepharynx

Tonsils
Lymphoidtissueoftonsilscontainsfollicles
withgerminalcenters
Tonsilmassesarenotfullyencapsulated
Epithelialtissueoverlyingtonsilmasses
invaginates,formingblindendedcrypts
Cryptstrapanddestroybacteriaand
particulatematter

AggregatesofLymphoidFollicles
Peyerspatchesisolatedclustersoflymphoid
tissue,similartotonsils
Foundinthewallofthedistalportionofthesmall
intestine
Similarstructuresarefoundintheappendix

Peyerspatchesandtheappendix:
Destroybacteria,preventingthemfrombreaching
theintestinalwall
Generatememorylymphocytesforlongterm
immunity

MALT
MALTmucosaassociatedlymphatic
tissue:
Peyerspatches,tonsils,andtheappendix
(digestivetract)
Lymphoidnodulesinthewallsofthebronchi
(respiratorytract)

MALTprotectsthedigestiveand
respiratorysystemsfromforeignmatter