But if you notice a painless, swollen lymph node, it is important to get it checked by your GP. Lymph vessels are a network of tubes. These tubes connect to groups of lymph nodes throughout the body. Some vessels are just under the skin. This means breaking the skin can easily damage them. Lymph fluid travels through the lymph vessels and drains into the bloodstream.
This is a colourless fluid that is made in the body. It surrounds all body tissues. Extra fluid from tissue in the body drains into and flows through small lymph vessels. This fluid is filtered through the lymph nodes, and drains back into the bloodstream. There are lymph nodes throughout your body, but mainly in the neck, armpits, groin and tummy abdomen. They filter and break down bacteria germs or other harmful cells from the lymph fluid.
Lymph nodes vary in size. Some are as small as a pinhead, and others are about the size of a baked bean. The number of lymph nodes in the body differs from person to person. There, white blood cells called lymphocytes can attack and kill the bacteria. Viruses and cancer cells are also trapped and destroyed in the lymph nodes. More lymphocytes are produced when you have an infection. That is why your lymph nodes tend to swell when you have an infection.
Those related to malformation or destruction or damage to the lymphatic system or its nodes include:. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. A person with amyloidosis produces aggregates of insoluble protein that cannot be eliminated from the body. When a person is anaemic, the red blood cells have to work harder to get oxygen around the body. An aneurysm may have no symptoms until it is either very large or it ruptures.
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Skip to main content. Immune system. Home Immune system. Most of the fluid is reabsorbed into the capillaries and the rest is drained into the lymphatic vessels, which eventually return it to the veins. Lymph also contains many other substances including.
Damaged cells, cancer cells, and foreign particles such as bacteria and viruses that may have entered the tissue fluids. Lymph nodes are tiny bean-shaped organs that serve as collection centers for lymph. All lymph passes through strategically placed lymph nodes, which filter damaged cells, cancer cells, and foreign particles out of the lymph. Lymph nodes also contain specialized white blood cells for example, lymphocytes Lymphocytes One of the body's lines of defense immune system involves white blood cells leukocytes that travel through the bloodstream and into tissues, searching for and attacking microorganisms and Thus, important functions of the lymphatic system are to remove damaged cells from the body and to provide protection against the spread of infection and cancer.
Some lymph nodes are clustered under the skin, particularly in the neck, armpits, and groin. Other lymph nodes are deep within the body, for example inside the abdomen. The lymphatic vessels drain into collecting ducts, which empty their contents into the two subclavian veins, located under the collarbones. These veins join to form the superior vena cava, the large vein that drains blood from the upper body into the heart.
Blockage obstruction : Obstruction in the lymphatic system leads to an accumulation of fluid lymphedema Lymphedema Lymphedema is the accumulation of lymph in tissues, resulting in swelling. When lymphatic vessels are injured or obstructed, lymph fluid cannot drain and accumulates in tissues, causing swelling Unlike blood, the lymphatic fluid is not pumped but squeezed through the vessels when we use our muscles.
The properties of the lymph vessel walls and the valves help control the movement of lymph. However, like veins, lymphatic vessels have valves inside them to stop fluid from flowing back in the wrong direction. Lymph is drained progressively towards larger vessels until it reaches the two main channels, the lymphatic ducts in our trunk. From there, the filtered lymph fluid returns to the blood in the veins.
The vessels branch through junctions called lymph nodes. These are often referred to as glands, but they are not true glands as they do not form part of the endocrine system. In the lymph nodes, immune cells assess for foreign material, such as bacteria, viruses, or fungus. Lymph nodes are not the only lymphatic tissues in the body.
The tonsils, spleen, and thymus gland are also lymphatic tissues. In the back of the mouth, there are tonsils. These produce lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, and antibodies. They have a strategic position, hanging down from a ring forming the junction between the mouth and pharynx. This enables them to protect against inhaled and swallowed foreign bodies. The tonsils are the tissues affected by tonsillitis.
The spleen is not connected to the lymphatic system in the same way as lymph nodes, but it is lymphoid tissue. This means it plays a role in the production of white blood cells that form part of the immune system. Its other major role is to filter the blood to remove microbes and old and damaged red blood cells and platelets. The thymus gland is a lymphatic organ and an endocrine gland that is found just behind the sternum. It secretes hormones and is crucial in the production, maturation, and differentiation of immune T cells.
Bone marrow is not lymphatic tissue, but it can be considered part of the lymphatic system because it is here that the B cell lymphocytes of the immune system mature. During gestation, the liver of a fetus is regarded as part of the lymphatic system as it plays a role in lymphocyte development. Explore the model using your mouse pad or touchscreen to understand more about the lymphatic system. The lymph system has three main functions.
The lymphatic system helps maintain fluid balance. It returns excess fluid and proteins from the tissues that cannot be returned through the blood vessels. The fluid is found in tissue spaces and cavities, in the tiny spaces surrounding cells, known as the interstitial spaces.
These are reached by the smallest blood and lymph capillaries. Around 90 percent of the plasma that reaches tissues from the arterial blood capillaries is returned by the venous capillaries and back along veins. The remaining 10 percent is drained back by the lymphatics. Each day, around liters is returned.
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