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The lymphatic system, or lymphoid system, is an organ system in vertebrates that is part of the immune system and complementary to the circulatory system.It consists of a large network of lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, lymphoid organs, lymphatic tissue and lymph.
The flow of lymph in the thoracic duct in an average resting person usually approximates 100ml per hour. Accompanied by another ~25ml per hour in other lymph vessels, the total lymph flow in the body is about 4 to 5 litres per day. This can be elevated several fold while exercising.
Lymph enters the convex side of a lymph node through multiple afferent lymphatic vessels, and from there, it flows into a series of sinuses. Upon entering the lymph node, lymph first passes into a space beneath the capsule known as the subcapsular sinus , then moves into the cortical sinuses .
The lymph percolates through the lymph node tissue and exits via an efferent lymph vessel. An efferent lymph vessel may directly drain into one of the (right or thoracic) lymph ducts, or may empty into another lymph node as its afferent lymph vessel. [6] Both the lymph ducts return the lymph to the blood stream by emptying into the subclavian veins
In peripheral organs, lymphatic vessels are responsible for conducting lymph between different parts of the body. In general, lymphatic drainage is important for maintaining fluid homeostasis as well as providing a means for immune cells to traffic into draining lymph nodes from other parts of the body, allowing for immune surveillance of bodily tissues.
The lymph transport, in the thoracic duct, is mainly caused by the action of breathing, aided by the duct's smooth muscle and by internal valves which prevent the lymph from flowing back down again. There are also two valves at the junction of the duct with the left subclavian vein, to prevent the flow of venous blood into the duct.
Three biochemical pathways activate the complement system: the classical complement pathway, the alternate complement pathway, and the mannose-binding lectin pathway. [9] These processes differ only in the process of activating C3 convertase, [10] which is the initial step of complement activation, and the subsequent process are eventually the ...
Propulsion of lymph from one lymphangion to next. A lymphangion is the functional unit of a lymph vessel that lies between two semilunar (half moon-shaped) valves. [1] [2]Lymph vessels are channels larger than the lymph capillaries that have thicker walls, valves in their lumen and smooth muscles in their walls, thus lymph vessel lymphangion is muscular and capable of contracting on its own.