Let's experience The Anatomy of the Lymphatic System as a Chapter Overview
Look at this figure!

It contains the components of

your Lymphatic System. Note

the vessels are not continuous

with one another, rather

they are similar to straws.

Yes! this is your sewer

system sucking interstitial

fluid towards the heart.

(During the French Revolution

people lived in the Paris sewers.)

As you view the lymphatic

vessels on this figure, you notice

"lymph nodes" are attached to

them. These clean interstitial fluid

of such garbage as cellular

debris and microorganisms.

Believe it or not, your tonsils,

adenoids, and spleen, are

garbage disposals also.

Part 1: Lymphatic Vessels and organs
    A. Flow of lymph through capillaries and vessels
    B. Thoracic and right lymphatic ducts
    C. The lymph node
    D. Tonsils and spleen, and thymus

1. List the functions of the lymphatic system.

1._______________________________________________________
2._______________________________________________________ 3._______________________________________________________

2. This is a flow chart of the flow of lymph through the body. Draw in arrows to indicate the direction of  flow.

lymphatic capillary     lymphatic vessels

                                                                thoracic duct         left brachiocephalic vein

3. Eventually all lymph is returned to the ________________________.

4. Lymphatic capillaries differ structurally from blood capillaries because
the lymphatic system is a _______________ system. The fluid entering
the lymphatic capillaries is called ____________________________.

Once inside lymphatic capillaries, interstitial fluid is called ___________
and begins to flow towards the heart. The lymphatic capillaries converge
to become _______________________________. These larger vessels
are unique, they have very thin walls and contain semilunar valves to
prevent _______________________________.

5. List the two main lymphatic ducts and the part of the body they drain.

1.______________________________________________________
2.______________________________________________________

6. Illustrate the parts of a lymph node. Have you ever felt a swelling in your neck when you have a sore throat? _____ This is a swollen lymph node which has increased in size from a pea to a walnut. Below is a drawing of a node, label it with the following:

afferent lymphatic vessel

efferent lymphatic vessel

capsule

reticular fibers

cortex

medulla

lymphatic nodule

germinal center

medullary cord

7. Let's describe the structure of a lymph node. The terms you have just
used to label the node are appropriate here also.

Each node is covered by a layer of dense connective tissue called the
______________________. The structural support of each lymph
node is provided by. ___________________________________.

Lymph nodes are divided into two parts, an outer _____________
and an inner region called the __________________________.

The outer cortex contains clusters of _________________________,
these have an outer dark area and an inner area staining __________.
This inner area is called the _______________________________
and is where ___________________ are produced. The inner cortex
contains _____________________ In the medulla of the node B cells
and plasma cells are arranged in strands called ___________________,

8. As lymph travels in a vessel, it must pass through a lymph node for cleaning.
(This resembles water percolating through your coffee pot.) List below the
route lymph must travel as it passes through a node.

1._________________________________________________
2._________________________________________________
3._________________________________________________
4._________________________________________________

10. Inside the node are the famous B cells, T cells, plasma cells, and macrophages
ready to do their immunological work cleaning lymph. Let's review these important
cells by listing their functions below.

B cells ______________________________________________________
plasma cells __________________________________________________
T cells ______________________________________________________
macrophages _________________________________________________

11. You have more lymph nodes in your body. They are actually organs that have a
similar structure and function as a lymph node. Name these organs and their functions.

Organ	Function