LYMPHATIC SYSTEM & IMMUNITY
FUNCTIONS OF THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
1. Returns fluids that leaked from
vascular system back to the blood
2. Protects the body by removing
foreign material from the lymph
3. immune surveillance
Consists of the ff semi-independent
parts:
1. Lymphatic vessels
2. Lymphatic organs
Figure 14.1a
Distribution of Lymphatic vessels
Lymphatic capillaries
Lymphatic vessels
Lymphatic trunks
Lumbar
Intestinal
Bronchomediastinal
Subclavian
Jugular
Lymph Trunks
▪ Lumbar - drains lower extremities and pelvis
▪ Intestinal - drains abdominal region
▪ Bronchomediastinal - drain thorax
▪ Subclavian - drains upper extremities
▪ Jugular - drains head and neck
Figure 14.2a
a. thoracic duct
- originates from cisterna chyli
- which empties into the left
subclavian vein at its junction with the
left internal jugular vein
b. right lymphatic duct
- which empties into the right
subclavian vein at its junction with the
right internal jugular vein
LYMPH TRANSPORT
1. Skeletal muscle contraction
2. Negative pressure in the thorax
3. Valves
Figure 14.2b
LYMPHATIC ORGANS
Basic structural components:
1. Lymphocytes aggregates
- loose, dense, nodular, follicles
2. Loose connective tissue: reticular
3. Epithelial cells
LYMPH NODE
- Located along lymphatic vessels
- - macrophages that phagocytize
bacteria
- Lymphocytes mounting immune
response
- Filters the lymph
Figure 14.4
THYMUS
- is a flat, pinkish-gray, two lobed organ
lying high in the chest anterior to the
aorta and posterior to the sternum.
- increases its size during childhood
- characteristic feature is hassal’s or
thymic corpuscles
- In the thymus the lymphoid tissue is
not arranged in nodules
Figure 14.6b
SPLEEN
- largest lymphatic organ
- located at the left hypochondriac region
- graveyard for senescent or aged RBC
- filters the blood
-produces lymphocytes and plasma
cells
STRUCTURE
- Capsule
- Contains lymphocytes, macrophages, RBC
- Red pulp
-contains abundant RBC and
macrophages
- White pulp
- contains lymphocytes
TONSILS
- several groups of tonsils forming a ring of
lymphoid tissue, guard the entrance of the
alimentary and respiratory tracts from
invasion by microorganisms. This is called
Waldeyer’s ring.
- the components of this ring are:
1. palatine tonsils
2. nasopharyngeal tonsil
3. lingual tonsils
PEYER’S PATCHES
Gut associated lymphatic tissue (GALT)
- Clusters of nodules in the ileum
- Macrophages are in ideal position to
capture and destroy bacteria,
preventing them from reaching the
intestinal wall.
DEVELOPMENTAL ASPECT
OF THE LYMPHATICS
- Lymphatics develop as outpocketing of
developing vein, from mesoderm
- Thymus gland develops from
endoderm
- The rest of the lymphoid organs
develop from mesoderm
IMMUNE RESPONSE
IMMUNITY
- defense of the body against disease
causing agents like transplant, blood
transfusion, autoimmune, allergies,
AIDS
- specific or non specific
- Non specific response
- block the entry or spread of the disease
- Specific
- very specific
- tailored to individual treat
- antibody mediated ( B cells) and cells
mediated (T cells)
INNATE IMMUNITY( NON
SPECIFIC IMMUNE RESPONSE)
- Present at birth
- Non specific
- Does not become efficient upon the
second exposure to same organism
- skin, mucous membrane, phagocytes,
natural killer cell, inflammatory
response, interferon, complement, fever
ACQUIRED (ADAPTIVE/SPECIFIC)
IMMUNE RESPONSE
- Following certain infection
- Antigen and antibody reaction
- B lymphocytes humoral /antibody
mediated immunity
- T lymphocyte cell mediated immunity
TYPES OF MATURE
LYMPHOCYTES
1. T CELL
a. helper T cell- (+) other T cells
b. cytotoxic T cell- attack the infected
cells, virus, cancer cells, foreign body
c. Suppressor T cell- terminate normal
immune response
B CELLS
- Involved in humoral immunity
1. Primary immune response
2. Secondary immune response
Figure 14.14
Figure 14.9
Figure 14.18
Figure 14.16
IMMUNOGLOBULIN CLASSES
IgG – 75% of Ig, All IgG are monomers;
crosses the placenta; weakly activates
the complement system, most abundant
IgA – 15% of Ig; Serum IgA found in
secretions is a dimer, the major class of
Ig in secretions – tears, saliva
colostrum, mucus
IgM – 7-10%; largest size; exists as a
pentamer, most potent activator of
complement system: IgM is the first Ig to
be made by the fetus
IgE – less than 1% of Ig; exists as a
monomer, mediates allergic and parasitic
reaction; does not fix Ig to be made by the
fetus
IgD - < 1% exists only as a monomer, main
Ab on the surface of lymphocytes of
newborn
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