LYMPH & LYMPHATIC

SYSTEM
All body tissues are bathed in tissue fluid, consisting
of diffusible constituents of blood & waste materials
from cells. Some tissue fluid returns to the
capillaries at their venous end & the remainder
diffuses through the more permeable walls of lymph
capillaries, forming lymph.

On an average 62% of the body weight of man, 51%

of the body weight of women & 65-75% of infant’s
body weight is water.

In human body, water exists in 2 forms: intracellular

& extracellular fluid
Intracellular fluid:
It is nearly 55% of total human body water.
Contains potassium & phosphates in good measure
& some magnesium & sulphate as well

Extracellular fluid:
Heterogenous compartment of body fluids which
constituents about 45% of total body water
Can be divided into following sub-compartments:
1. Trancellular water: 2.5%; 2. Plasma water:
7.5%
3. Tissue fluid & lymph: 20%; 4. Bone water:
 The transcellular fluid:
Extracellular fluid separated from other fluids by an
epithelial membrane
This includes CSF, synovial fluid, fluid of pleural,
peritoneal & pericardial cavity, Intra-ocular fluid,
fluids within the ducts & digestive glands, fluids of
mucous membranes of nasorespiratory tract, GIT &
genital organs
TISSUE FLUID:
Is present in minute intercellular spaces between
blood capillaries and lymphatic capillaries
Interchanges liquid, gaseous nutrients and metabolic
end products like metabolites that pass either way to
Formation of tissue fluid:
Interstitial tissue fluid (ITF) is derived from the
oozing of the blood capillaries & products of tissue
activities
ITF formation from blood capillaries depend upon
a) permeability of capillaries
b) differential pressure between capillaries & ITF
c) differential in colloidal OP of blood & that of
tissue fluid
Net result of ITF formation i.e., HBP-OP=ITF
At the arterial end, the balance is towards formation
of ITF and vice versa

Composition:
ITF composition is not constant as undergoes to &
fro exchanges between tissues, lymph & blood
Is nearly same as of lymph, with low proteins & low
OP
Consists of 94% H2O with 6% solids containing
carbohydrates, proteins, fats, metabolites like urea &
creatinine & inorganic ions like Cl, P, Ca, NPN, etc.
Plasma fluid, ITF & lymph try to keep up equity.
Human health depends on the maintenance of this
equilibrium called homeostasis
Function of tissue fluid:

Forms a link between the tissue cell & blood, the

cells drawing their oxygen & nutrition from the
tissue fluid & excrete their CO2 & metabolites into
it.

Tissue fluid bathes the cells

It act as a reservoir of water, salts, nutrition & so

ultimately helps in maintenance of blood volume
 LYMPH:
Thin, watery, clear, modified tissue fluid formed by
passage of substance from blood capillaries into the
tissue spaces
Flows in closed system of vessels, sinuses,
capillaries, etc. called lymphatic system
Composition & formation of lymph:
Lymph consists of large number of leukocytes,
mainly lymphocytes ranging from 1000 to 20,000
per cmm.
Platelets & RBC are absent in lymph
The noncellular part consists of 94% water & 6%
solids in a soluble form
Main solids: proteins (2-4.5%), fats (5-15%),
carbohydrates (130mg%), urea (23.5 mg%), NPN
(34.8%), creatinine (1.4mg%), & other inorganic
substances
It is formed by passage of substances from
capillaries into the tissue spaces by the process of
transudation
Since lymph is formed from the tissue fluid,
anything that increases the amount of tissue fluid,
will pari-pasu increase the lymph formation
Substances that increase the lymph formation & its
flow are called lymphagogues
 Factors affecting lymph formation:
Capillary pressure
Permeability of capillary walls

Substances directly affecting capillary walls

Substances affecting the osmotic pressure of
interstitial fluid & peritubular fluid
Anoxia
Metabolites
Passive movements & massage
 Functions of lymph:
Drain the excess ITF into the circulatory system
Supplies nutrients & O2 to parts where blood does
not reach.
Also helps in transport of proteins from ITF to
blood
Defensive m/a: drains bacteria & toxins along the
lymphatics & trap them in lymph nodes.
Lymphocytes & monocytes contained in lymph also
act as body defense. So it is a filter & also kills
microbes, their toxins, & other foreign bodies
Fats are absorbed from intestinal villi through blind-
end lymphatics called lacteals. The lymphocytes in
Circulation of lymph & lymphatic system
Consists of lymph sinuses which form lymphatic
capillaries & lymph vessels
Lymphatic capillaries are situated in intercellular
spaces & their walls are formed of endothelial cells,
supported by fibrous connective tissues
Lymph vessels are linked together by free
anastomosis
Found in skin, blood vessels, muscles, various
visceral organs
There are intervening lymphatic glands
The lymphatic vessels are provided with one-way
valves which help the forward flow of lymph
Nervous system has no lymphatics; however, it is
not devoid of lymph, since the CSF flows in the
CNS
The lymphatic vessels then pass through the lymph
nodes & gradually increase in size
Finally, lymph is collected from the body & poured
into the right lymphatic duct & the thoracic duct or
left lymphatic duct
The right lymphatic duct opens in the right
subclavian vein & the left duct opens in the left
subclavian vein
The thoracic duct receives lymph from a cistern
‘receptaculum chyli’ placed in the abdomen
Factors affecting lymph circulation
Gravitation

Pressure ingredient

Muscular movement

Respiratory movement

Lymphagogues
Lymph nodes or lymph glands
Lymph nodes are important glandular structures
which are spread at all strategic spots of the body to
filter the germs, their toxins & foreign bodies
Also give birth to lymphocytes

Lymphatic glands are situated both superficially &

deep & are named as per their location:
Cubical & axillary – arm
Submaxillary & cervical – neck
Pelvic – pelvic organs
Lymph node is an encapsulated collection of
lymphatic tissue lying on the pathway of lymphatics
at various sites
Histologically, it has: cortex, medulla, hilum
Cortex:
Outer part containing peripherally the lymphatic
nodules
Germinal centers in inner zone give birth to
lymphocytes
Lymph sinuses separate peripheral lymph nodules
from capsule
Medulla:
Inner part of the lymph gland devoid of lymphatic
 Hilum:
It is mouth of gland which looks as a depression in
gland at one side
Cortex is thin & medulla is thick here
It gives entry to an artery, exit to a vein and an
efferent lymphatic channel
Afferent enters from all sides, penetrate & pour the
lymph node within. The chief efferent vessel leaves
the hilum, carrying the filtered, lymphocyte enriched
lymph
The nerve supply to lymph node is from ANS
 Functions of lymph node:
Form the 1st line defense like the soldiers guarding
respective areas through the strategic points
They screen the lymph & thus filter & prevent
microbes, toxins & foreign bodies from spreading.
The spread of cancer cells is especially prevented by
the lymphatic glands
They aid immunological responses & also
manufacture gamma globulin
They give birth to lymphocytes & also disperse
them to circulate through the trabeculae.
 SPLEEN:
Is an encapsulated lymphoid structure of size of a
fist, situated to extreme left of upper abdomen, under
the diaphragm
Has a diaphragmatic & an abdominal surface
The latter has a hilum through which passes the
arteries, veins & lymphatic vessels.
It undergoes slow & rhythmic contraction
Structure of spleen:
Spleen is a lymphoid organ covered with an elastic,
fibrous capsule that has some muscle fibres
The capsule fibers pass in the substance of the
spleen as trabeculae & form the network with small
 The substance of spleen contains:
Malphigian corpuscles which are spread all over the
spleen.
Each malphigian is mass of lymphoid tissue with a
central b.v. & germinating centre for production of
lymphocytes
Splenic pulp which contains masses of
macrophages & giant cells.
All these are phagocytic.

There are also reticulum cells which trap the

microscopic debris
Blood supply to spleen:
Has double channels of circulation short & long

Short circulation:
Arterioles 1st break up into capillaries

They then gather into venules & finally into the

splenic vein
There is no direct contact of this blood with splenic
pulp
In other words, there is a short circuit with a rapid
flow supplying only the frame work of spleen
Long circulation:

Arterioles pass through a valve like structure which

slows down the circulation & the blood percolates
through the splenic pulp, giving the RES cells a
chance to act on old RBC, to form bile pigments &
new WBC, etc.

In other words, it has a filling, a storing & an

emptying phase in its circulation, thus completing
the long circuit
Functions:
Phagocytosis: old & abnormal erythrocytes are
destroyed & the breakdown products, bilirubin &
iron are transported to liver via splenic & portal
veins. Other cellular material, e.g., leukocytes,
platelets & microbes, is phagocytosed in the spleen.
Unlike lymph nodes, the spleen has no afferent
lymphatics entering it, so it is not exposed to
diseases spread by lymph

Storage of blood: the spleen contains up to 350 ml

of blood, & in response to sympathetic stimulation
can rapidly return most of this volume to the
Immune response: the spleen contains T- & B-
lymphocytes, which are activated by the +ce of
antigens, e.g., in infection. Lymphocyte proliferation
during serious infection can cause enlargement of
the spleen (Splenomegaly)

Erythropoiesis: the spleen & liver are important

sites of fetal blood cell production, & the spleen can
also fulfill this function in adults in times of great
need.
THYMUS GLAND:
It lies in the upper part of the mediastinum behind
the sternum & extends upwards into the root of the
neck.
Weight: - 10 to 15 g at birth & grows until puberty,
when it begins to atrophy; maximum weight, at
puberty, is between 30 to 40g & by middle age it
returns to approximately its weight at birth.
Structure:
Consists of 2 lobes joined by areolar tissue enclosed
by a fibrous capsule which dips into their substance,
dividing them into lobules consisting of an irregular
branching framework of epithelial cells &
Function:
Lymphocytes originate from pluripotent stem cells
in red bone marrow.
Those that enter thymus develop into activated T-
lymphocytes.
Thymic processing produces mature T-lymphocytes
that can distinguish self tissue from foreign tissue &
also provides each T –lymphocytes with the ability
to react to only one specific antigen from the
millions it will encounter.
T lymphocytes then leave the thymus & enter the
blood.
Some enter lymphoid tissues & others circulate in
the bloodstream.
T-lymphocyte production, although most prolific in
youth, probably continues throughout life from a
resident population of thymic stem cells.
The maturation of the thymus & other lymphoid
tissue is stimulated by thymosin, a hormone secreted
by the epithelial cells that form the framework of the
thymus gland.
Involution of the gland begins in adolescence &,
with increasing age, the effectiveness of the T-
lymphocyte response to antigens declines.
Mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT):
Throughout the body, at strategically placed
locations, are collections of lymphoid tissue which,
unlike spleen & thymus, are not enclosed within a
capsule.
They contain B- & T-lymphocytes, which have
migrated from bone marrow & the thymus, & are
important in the early detection of invaders.
However, as they have no afferent lymphatic
vessels, they do not filter lymph, & so not exposed
to diseases spread by lymph.
MALT is found throughout the GIT, in the RT & in
the genitourinary tract, all systems of the body
The main groups of MALT are the tonsils & Peyer’s
patches.

Tonsils: located in mouth & throat, & will so

destroy swallowed & inhaled antigens

Aggregated lymphoid follicles (Peyer’s patches):

these large collections of lymphoid tissue are found
in the small intestine, & intercept swallowed
antigens.
Thank you