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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 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
A lymph duct is a great lymphatic vessel that empties lymph into one of the subclavian veins. There are two lymph ducts in the human body —the right lymphatic duct and the thoracic duct . The right lymphatic duct drains lymph from the right upper limb, right side of thorax and right halves of head and neck .
Lymph nodes are important for the proper functioning of the immune system, acting as filters for foreign particles including cancer cells, but have no detoxification function. In the lymphatic system, a lymph node is a secondary lymphoid organ. A lymph node is enclosed in a fibrous capsule and is made up of an outer cortex and an inner medulla.
The mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT), also called mucosa-associated lymphatic tissue, is a diffuse system of small concentrations of lymphoid tissue found in various submucosal membrane sites of the body, such as the gastrointestinal tract, nasopharynx, thyroid, breast, lung, salivary glands, eye, and skin.
When an efferent lymph vessel leaves a lymph node, it may carry lymph to another lymph node by becoming its afferent lymph vessel or unite with other efferent vessels to become a lymph trunk. The lymph trunks drain into the lymph ducts, which in turn return lymph to the blood by emptying into the respective subclavian veins. [1]
Lymph has a composition similar but not identical to that of blood plasma. Lymph that leaves a lymph node is richer in lymphocytes than blood plasma is. The lymph formed in the human digestive system called chyle is rich in triglycerides (fat), and looks milky white because of its lipid content.
The meningeal lymphatic system is composed of a network of vessels along the dural sinus in the dura which express lymphatic endothelial cell marker proteins, including PROX1, LYVE1, and PDPN. The vessels extend along the length of both the superior sagittal and transverse sinuses and directly connects to the deep cervical lymph nodes. [ 1 ]