Human Anatomy and Physiology

HUMR 248
The Lymphatic and Immune System
Part I

Rihab NASR, Ph.D.

Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology
Faculty of Medicine, AUB
 The Lymphatic System

Pala7ne  tonsil   Adenoids  

Lingual  tonsil  
Thymus  gland  

Lymph  nodes  

Spleen  

Appendix   Peyer’s  patches  

A widespread system of specialized cells, tissues, vessels and organs scattered

throughout the body to defend against "foreign" invaders
 Functions of the lymphatic system

- The return of interstitial fluid and proteins from the peripheral

tissues to the blood: to help maintain fluid balance

- Absorption and return of fats from small intestine to the general

circulation. Lacteals absorb digested fats from the intestine
and transport them to the blood.

- The production, maintenance and distribution of lymphocytes,

that protect the body against foreign antigens (viruses,
bacteria…)
 Functions of the Lymphatic System: Fluid Balance
-  Plasma and dissolved nutrients are exchanged between blood
and cells in capillary beds: They first diffuse into the tissue
fluid, then into the cells. However, 90% of fluid that leaves
capillaries is returned, and 10% that does not return becomes part
of the interstitial fluid à drains into lymphatic vessels and become
lymph à Blood
 Functions of the Lymphatic System: Fighting Infection

-  Lymphocytes live and multiply in the lymphatic system where

they attack and destroy foreign organisms

-  Lymphoid tissues filter body fluids:

-  Lymph nodes filter lymph
-  Spleen filters blood
-  Tonsils filter swallowed and inhaled materials

Tonsils
 Functions of the Lymphatic System: Transporting lipids

- Most nutrients are absorbed into the

intestinal capillaries. However, fats are
too large to enter blood capillaries.

-  Fat is absorbed in the small intestin.

In the villi, we have lymph vessels:
blind tubes = lacteals

-  Lacteals collect the fats and take them

to lymph vessels which will go into a
reservoir called the cisterna chyli à
Thoracid duct à Venous system
Fat droplets make the lymph appear "milky”, thus the name
lacteal. Lymph within lacteals is known as chyle.
 Components of the lymphatic system

1.  Fluid:
Lymph, flows through the lymphatic vessels.

2. Vessels:
A network of lymphatic vessels that begins in the peripheral
tissues and connects to the venous system.

3. Lymphatic organs and tissues:

Found throughout the body (Ex. Lymph nodes, spleen and
thymus).

4. Lymphocytes and other immune system cells

 What is LYMPH?

- A clear fluid composed mainly of water, electrolytes, and some

proteins and in some cases fat.

-  Absorbed by lymphatic capillaries in body tissues where

excessive tissue fluids occur.

-  Transported form the lymphatic capillaries to the collecting

ducts, and at the end disposed into the venous blood.
 What is LYMPH?

The lymphatic system may be

unable to handle the increased
volume of lymph, and it may
accumulate in the tissues :
Edema.
 Lymphatic Circulation
Lymphatic capillaries Tissue fluid

Pulmonary capillaries

Lymph node Pulmonary

circuit
Valve

Lymphatic vessel

Lymph node Systemic

circuit

Systemic capillaries
Lymphatic capillaries
Tissue fluid
The lymphatic system is in relation to the cardiovascular system. It is a one-
way system with lymph flowing towards the heart. Lymphatic vessels pick up
fluid in tissues and return it to blood.
 How is Lymph moved?

Because of the lack of a pump in the lymphatic pathway,

lymph movement is largely dependent on:

- Contraction of skeletal muscles against lymphatic vessels

during movement

- Respiratory pump: Breathing that leads to changes in

pressure within the abdominal and thoracic cavities

- Contraction of smooth muscles in larger vessels

- Valves in lymphatic vessels that prevent lymph backflow

 Components of the lymphatic system

1.  Fluid:
Lymph, flows through the lymphatic vessels.

2. Vessels:
A network of lymphatic vessels that begins in the peripheral
tissues and connects to the venous system.

3. Lymphatic organs and tissues:

Found throughout the body (Ex. Lymph nodes, spleen and
thymus).

4. Lymphocytes and other immune system cells

Lymphatic Vessels
 Lymphatic Capillaries
-  Blind capillaries found almost everywhere blood capillaries are
found, i.e., everywhere tissue fluid is formed.

-  Areas w/o lymphatic capillaries include bones, cartilage and CNS

-  Specialized lymphatic capillaries, known as lacteals, are present

in the intestinal mucosa to assist in absorption of dietary fat.
 Lymphatic Capillaries
Composed of simple squamous epithelial cells that overlap
and are loosely attached to another: fluid and proteins can enter
the capillary through gaps between the endothelial cells.
Overlapping cells act as one-way valves to prevent lymph from
leaving.
Fluid  and  suspended  proteins  

Endothelial  cells  

Gaps  
 Lymphatic Vessels

- Receive lymph from lymphatic capillaries.

- Pass through lymph nodes, where lymph is cleared of pathogens
- Walls of lymphatic vessels are thinner than walls of veins
 Lymphatic Vessels
-  Have semilunar valves to prevent backflow of lymph
 Lymphatic Trunks

-  After leaving lymph nodes, Lymphatic vessels merge to form large

lymphatic trunk

-  Formed by union of collecting

lymphatic vessels

-  Drain large areas of body

-  Major trunks are named mostly

for region where they collect
 Lymphatic Ducts

2 Lymphatic ducts formed

by the union of lymphatic
trunks
 Lymphatic Ducts
1- Right lymphatic duct:

- Drains lymph from the right

arm and the right side of the
head and thorax

- Empties into the R subclavian

vein.
 Lymphatic Ducts

2- Thoracic duct:
- Begins as a loosely dilated sac
in the abdomen called the
CISTERNA CHYLI.
 Lymphatic Ducts

2- Thoracic duct:
-  Drains lymph from three
quarters of the body:
•  Left side of the head and neck
•  Left arm and left upper quadrant
•  Both legs

-  Empties the lymph into venous

circulation into left subclavian vein
 Lymphatic Pathway

Lymphatic capillary
Tissue fluid is transported from
Lymphatic vessel lymphatic capillaries to lymphatic
vessels, where along the length of
Lymph node these vessels, lymph nodes occur
to filter the lymph
Lymphatic vessel Lymph flows from lymphatic
vessels into lymphatic trunks, and
Lymphatic trunk finally into collecting ducts
where the lymph is disposed
Lymphatic duct into the subclavian veins.

Subclavian vein
 Components of the lymphatic system

1.  Fluid:
Lymph, flows through the lymphatic vessels.

2. Vessels:
A network of lymphatic vessels that begins in the peripheral
tissues and connects to the venous system.

3. Lymphatic organs and tissues:

Found throughout the body (Ex. Lymph nodes, spleen and
thymus).

4. Lymphocytes and other immune system cells

 Pala7ne  tonsil   Adenoids  

Lingual  tonsil  
Thymus  gland  

Lymph  nodes  

Spleen  

Appendix   Peyer’s  patches  

 Lymphatic organs

Primary lymphatic organs:

Sites where lymphocytes arise and mature in the
absence of antigenic stimuli: “antigen-independent
"
proliferation & differentiation”
hematopoietic stem cel
-  Thymus stromal stem cell
-  Red bone marrow

Secondary lymphatic organs

Sites where most immune responses occur: “antigen-
dependent proliferation and differentiation”
 Lymphatic organs

Encapsulated lymphatic tissue:

Ex: spleen, lymph nodes.
"
Unencapsulated diffuse lymphatic tissue :
Mucosa-Associated Lymphatic Tissue (MALT):
lymphatic tissue associated with the mucosa of many
organs
Ex: Gut-Associated Lymphatic Tissue (GALT):
comprised of lymphatic tissue in the intestinal wall
containing lymphocytes, plasma cells and
macrophages.
 Thymus

-  A bilobed gland ventral to heart and laryngeal structures

-  Located in the upper anterior portion of the chest cavity just

behind the sternum
Thymus

- A connective tissue capsule

penetrates the parenchyma and
divides it into lobules.

QuickTime™ and a
Lobule decompressor
ar e needed to see this picture.
Each lobule contains a dark zone
packed with lymphocytes known
as the cortex and a central light
zone known as the medulla.
 Thymus
-  The medulla is rich in thymic epithelial cells.

-  Concentrically arranged degenerated epithelial-reticular cells

form eosinophilic whorls of layered cells called Hassall’s
corpuscles, a unique feature of the thymus.
Function: Not fully understood. These secrete proteins
that support T-cell differentiation.
 Involution of the thymus

- The thymus is fully formed and

functional at birth

- Large in the infant

-  Deteriorates after puberty:

much of the parenchyma of
the thymus is replaced by
adipose tissue: Involution
 Thymus

Thymus main function:

is to develop
" immature T-cells into immunocompetent T-cells.

- This process begins with the production of pre-T cells in the BM

-  pre-T cells are then taken into the cortex of the thymus where
they proliferate, mature.
- T cells migrate into medulla
-  Mature T cells leave thymus by medullary blood vessels

-  The transformation of primitive or immature lymphocytes into

T-lymphocytes and their proliferation in the lymph nodes is
promoted by a thymic hormone called thymosin.