Question

briefly describe the lymphatic system

Answer 1

The lymphatic system consists of organs, ducts, and nodes. It transports a watery clear fluid called lymph.

This fluid distributes immune cells and other factors throughout the body. It also interacts with the blood circulatory system to drain fluid from cells and tissues.

The lymphatic system contains immune cells called lymphocytes, which protect the body against antigens (viruses, bacteria, etc.) that invade the body. It is abnormal cells of this type that cause lymphoma.

Main functions of the lymphatic system

"to collect and return interstitial fluid, including plasma protein to the blood,
and thus help maintain fluid balance,

to defend the body against disease by producing lymphocytes,

to absorb lipids from the intestine and transport them to the blood."

Answer 2

The lymphatic system and the cardiovascular system are closely related structures that are joined by a capillary system. The is important to the body's defense mechanisms. It filters out organisms that cause disease, produces certain white blood cells and generates antibodies. It is also important for the distribution of fluids and nutrients in the body, because it drains excess fluids and protein so that tissues do not swell up. "Lymph" is a milky body fluid that contains a type of white blood cells, called "lymphocytes," along with proteins and fats. Lymph seeps outside the blood vessels in spaces of body tissues and is stored in the "lymphatic" system to flow back into the bloodstream. Through the flow of blood in and out of arteries, and into the veins, and through the lymph nodes and into the lymph, the body is able to eliminate the products of cellular breakdown and bacterial invasion. Two very large areas are of significance in this system - the right lymphatic duct which drains lymph fluid from the upper right quarter of the body above the diaphragm and down the midline, and the thoracic duct, a structure roughly sixteen inches long located in the mediastinum of the pleural cavity which drains the rest of the body. It is through the actions of this system including the spleen, the thymus, lymph nodes and lymph ducts that our body is able to fight infection and to ward off invasion from foreign invaders. Lymph plays an important role in the immune system and in absorbing fats from the intestines. The lymphatic vessels are present wherever there are blood vessels and transport excess fluid to the end vessels without the assistance of any "pumping" action. There are more than 100 tiny, oval structures (called lymph nodes). These are mainly in the neck, groin and armpits, but are scattered all along the lymph vessels. They act as barriers to infection by filtering out and destroying toxins and germs. The largest body of lymphoid tissue in the human body is the spleen.

Answer 3

System of lymph nodes, vessels, and nodules and lymphoid tissue, including the thymus, spleen, tonsils, and bone marrow, through which lymph circulates and is filtered. Its primary function is to return proteins, waste products, and fluids to the blood; molecules too big to enter the capillaries pass through the more permeable walls of lymphatic vessels. Valves keep lymph flowing in one direction, more slowly than blood and at a lower pressure. The lymphatic system also has a role in the immune system. Nodes filter bacteria and foreign matter from lymph. Smaller nodules, which often produce lymphocytes, form in areas more exposed to such materials. They can merge and become permanent, as in the tonsils.

Answer 4

The Lymphatic System
The lymphatic system is often considered part of the cardiovascular system (see chapter 1). Excess fluid that leaks out of capillaries to bathe the body's cells is collected by the vessels of the lymphatic system and returned to the blood. By doing so, the lymphatic system maintains the fluid balance in the body. The lymphatic system further assists the cardiovascular system in absorbing nutrients from the small intestine. These necessary actions, however, are only part of the system's vitally important overall function. It is the body's main line of defense against foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses. The lymphatic system is responsible for body immunity, filtering harmful substances out of tissue fluid (which fills the spaces between the cells) before that fluid is returned to the blood and the rest of the body. For this reason, it is sometimes referred to as the immune system.

http://www.faqs.org/health/Body-by-Design-V1/The-Lymphatic-System.html