Lymphutic system

1he lymphaLlc sysLem ls a neLwork of vessels LhaL LransporLs nuLrlenLs Lo Lhe cells and collecLs Lhelr
wasLe producLs 1he lymph sysLem conslsLs of lymph caplllarles and lymph vessels LhaL are
somewhaL slmllar Lo blood caplllarles and blood vessels ln addlLlon lL lncludes lymph ducLs (Lubes
LhaL carry flulds secreLed by glands) and lymph nodes (reservolrs LhaL fllLer ouL bacLerla and oLher
Loxlns from Lhe lymph LhaL passes Lhrough Lhem)
ln Lhe clrculaLory sysLem blood flows from Lhe hearL Lhrough Lhe arLerles and lnLo caplllarles LhaL
surround all cells When blood reaches Lhe caplllarles a porLlon of blood plasma (Lhe llquld porLlon
of Lhe blood) seeps ouL of Lhe caplllarles and lnLo Lhe space surroundlng cells 1haL plasma ls Lhen
known as Llssue fluld 1lssue fluld conslsLs of waLer plus dlssolved molecules LhaL are small enough
Lo flL Lhrough Lhe small openlngs ln caplllarles
1lssue fluld ls an lmporLanL componenL of any llvlng anlmal nuLrlenLs pass ouL of Llssue fluld lnLo
cells and conversely wasLe producLs from cells are dumped back lnLo Lhe Llssue fluld
Some Llssue fluld reLurns Lo blood caplllarles by osmosls (Csmosls ls Lhe process by whlch flulds and
subsLances dlssolved ln Lhem pass Lhrough a membrane unLll all subsLances lnvolved reach a
balance) 8uL some Llssue fluld ls also dlverLed lnLo a second neLwork of Lubes Lhe lymphaLlc vessels
1lssue fluld LhaL enLers Lhls neLwork ls known as lymph Lymph ls a clear colorless somewhaL sLlcky
llquld 1he llquld formed ln a bllsLer ls lymph
Words to know
Cap|||ar|es 1lny vessels ln Lhe body LhaL carry flulds such as lymph and blood
Lymph A fluld LhaL runs Lhrough Lhe lymphaLlc vessels lymph nodes and oLher lymphaLlc organs
Lymphocyte A cell LhaL funcLlons as parL of Lhe lymphaLlc and lmmune sysLems by aLLacklng speclflc
lnvadlng subsLances
Lymph node 8eglon of lymphold Llssue along lymph vessels LhaL fllLers harmful anLlgens from Lhe
blood and some Llssues
Csmos|s rocess ln whlch flulds and subsLances dlssolved ln llqulds pass Lhrough a membrane unLll
all subsLances lnvolved reach a balance
Movement of |ymph
1lssue fluld passes ouL of Lhe space beLween cells and Lhrough Lhe walls of lymph caplllarles now
called lymph lL follows a paLhway back Lo Lhe hearL LhaL ls somewhaL slmllar Lo Lhe venous sysLem
for blood lL passes from lymph caplllarles lnLo larger Lubes Lhe lymph vessels Llke velns ln Lhe
blood clrculaLory sysLem lymph vessels have valves LhaL help push lymph slowly back Lowards Lhe
hearL LvenLually Lhe lymph enLers a large collecLlng Lube Lhe Lhoraclc ducL locaLed near Lhe hearL
rom Lhe Lhoraclc ducL Lhe lymph empLles lnLo Lhe blood clrculaLory sysLem lLself aL Lhe lefL
subclavlan veln
1he lymph sysLem performs a second funcLlon also aLs LhaL have been absorbed ln Lhe small
lnLesLlne enLer lymph vessels ln LhaL organ 1hose faLs are Lhen carrled Lhrough Lhe lymphaLlc
sysLem back lnLo Lhe blood clrculaLory sysLem
Lymph nodes
AL varlous polnLs ln Lhe lymphaLlc sysLem Lhe lymphaLlc vessels are enlarged Lo form sLrucLures
known as lymph nodes Lymph nodes serve
four prlmary funcLlons lrsL Lhey remove
from Lhe lymph forelgn parLlcles dumped
lnLo Lhe Llssue fluld from cells Second Lhey
produce a Lype of whlLe blood cell known as
lymphocyLes LymphocyLes are ma[or
componenLs of Lhe bodys lmmune sysLem
whlch flghLs dlsease 1hey occur ln a varleLy
of forms known as 1 cells (1 lymphocyLes)
and 8 cells (8 lymphocyLes) 1hlrd lymph
nodes are home Lo very large blood cells
known as macrophages Macrophages
aLLack and klll bacLerla by surroundlng Lhem
swallowlng Lhem up and Lhen dlssolvlng
Lhem wlLh enzymes ourLh lymph nodes
produce anLlbodles LhaL are used Lo flghL
lnfecLlons
4 mocrophoqe {bockqround) ond o /ymphocyte {foreqround)

Lymph nodes are locaLed ln Lhe armplL neck and groln Cne sympLom of an lnfecLlon ls LhaL lymph
nodes become swollen wlLh harmful maLerlal and can be seen or felL
|seases of the |ymphat|c system
1he unconLrolled growLh of cells and Llssues of Lhe lymphaLlc sysLem resulL ln a condlLlon known as
lymphoma or lymph cancer Lymphomas are classlfled lnLo Lwo Lypes Podgklns or nonPodgklns
8oLh forms can be faLal Podgklns lymphoma or Podgklns dlsease ls marked by enlargemenL of
lymph nodes usually Lhose ln Lhe neck SympLoms of Podgklns lnclude chronlc faLlgue depressed
lmmune funcLlon welghL loss nlghL sweaLs and paln afLer drlnklng alcohol Podgklns lymphoma
can be LreaLed successfully and cured wlLh radlaLlon or chemoLherapy lf lL ls caughL ln lLs early
sLages AlLhough Lhe cause of Podgklns ls unknown males Caucaslans people of hlgher
socloeconomlc sLaLus Lhe welleducaLed and people wlLh cerLaln blood Lypes are more prone Lo
develop lL or unknown reasons Podgklns mosL commonly affecLs people ln Lhelr LwenLles or
sevenLles eople who work wlLh cerLaln chemlcals such as benzene and rubber producLs also seem
Lo be more prone Lo develop Lhe dlsease
Several forms of nonPodgklns lymphoma have been ldenLlfled 1hese forms have llLLle ln common
wlLh each oLher Cne example of a nonPodgklns lymphoma ls 8urklLLs lymphoma prevalenL
among CenLral Afrlcan chlldren 8urklLLs lymphoma ls characLerlzed by enlargemenL of Lhe lymph
nodes under Lhe [aw ln conLrasL wlLh mosL lymphomas whose causes are unclear 8urklLLs
lymphoma has been llnked Lo lnfecLlon wlLh Lhe LpsLeln8arr vlrus
SympLoms for mosL lymphomas are slmllar Many paLlenLs experlence enlargemenL of Lhe llver and
spleen as well as Lhe lymph nodes Some paLlenLs have bloody sLools or vomlL blood 1lredness
lLchlng welghL loss fever and general fallure of Lhe lmmune sysLem may also be presenL 1hese
sympLoms may dlmlnlsh and lnLenslfy over several monLhs before a dlagnosls ls made SomeLlmes a
bone marrow blopsy (LesL) ls also performed
1reaLmenL lncludes radlaLlon or chemoLherapy LffecLlveness of such LreaLmenLs varles dependlng
on Lhe severlLy of Lhe lymphoma aL Lhe Llme of dlagnosls 8one marrow LransplanLs have been
effecLlve agalnsL some lymphomas ln advanced sLages 1he cure raLe for nonPodgklns lymphomas
ls generally poorer Lhan for Podgklns lymphomas