ADVANCED

PHYSIOLOGY
LYMPHATICS
&
BLOOD VESSELS
MR. REY P. SO-ONG
MSciEd Biology
 LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
♥Functions
♠1) Maintenance of fluid balance in
the internal environment
♦Drain interstitial fluid
♠2) Transport lipids
♠3) Carries out immune responses

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 Maintaining Fluid
Balance
♥Plasma filters into the interstitial
spaces from blood flowing through the
capillaries
♥Much of this interstitial fluid is
absorbed by tissue cells or reabsorbed
by the blood before it flows out of the
tissue
♥A small amount of interstitial fluid is
left behind

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 Maintaining Fluid
Balance
♥If this would continue over even a brief
period of time, the increased
interstitial fluid would cause massive
edema
♥This edema would causes tissue
destruction or death

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 Maintaining Fluid
Balance
♥This problem is avoided by the
presence of lymphatic vessels that act
as "drains" to collect the excess fluid
and return it to the venous blood just
before it reaches the heart

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 Lymphatic System
♥Consists of:
♠1) lymphatic vessels
♠2) lymph
♠3) lymph nodes
♠4) organs which
contain lymph tissue
♠5) red bone marrow

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 Lymphatic Vessels
♥The lymphatic
system is a
specialized
component of the
circulatory system
♥Lymphatic vessels
parallel veins

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 Lymphatic Vessels
♥The lymphatic system differs from the
circulatory system in that the
lymphatics do not form a closed ring or
circuit
♠Instead, begin blindly in the
intercellular spaces of the soft
tissues of the body

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 Lymphatic Vessels
♥Lymphatic capillaries flow to larger
lymphatic vessels
♥Drain lymph to right subclavian vein
and thoracic duct

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 Lymphatic Vessels
♥Lymph flows through lymph nodes
scattered along lymphatic vessels
♥Lacateals in villi of small intestine
absorbs and transports lipids to
lymphatic vessels

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 Structure of Lymphatic
Vessels
♥Lymphatic vessels resemble veins in
structure with these exceptions:
♠have thinner walls
♠contain more valves
♠contain lymph nodes located at
certain intervals along their course

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 Functions of Lymphatic
Vessels
♥The high degree of capillary
permeability permits large molecular
weight substances which cannot be
absorbed by the blood capillary to be
removed from the interstitial spaces
♠Proteins that accumulate in the
interstitial spaces can return to the
blood only via lymphatics

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 Functions of Lymphatic
Vessels
♥Each day about 50% of the total blood
proteins leak out of the capillaries into
the tissue fluid and return to the blood
via the lymphatic vessels

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 Lymphatic Pump
♥no muscular pumping organ connected
with the lymphatic vessels to force lymph
onward
♥Lymph flows through the thoracic duct and
reenters the general circulation at the rate
of 125 mL/hour

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 Lymphatic Pump
♥Occurs despite the fact that most of
the flow is against gravity or "uphill"
♥Lymph moves through the system in
the right direction because of the large
number of valves that permit fluid flow
only in one direction

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 Lymphatic Pump
♥The movement is due to breathing
movements and skeletal muscle
contractions

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 Lymph
♥a moving fluid (lymph) derived from
the blood and tissue fluid
♥Fluid formed from excess plasma fluid
♠App. 3L/day

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 Lymph and Interstitial
Fluid
♥Essentially the same
fluid
♠Lymph
♦clear, watery fluid
found in the
lymphatic vessels
♠Interstitial fluid
♦fluid that fills the
spaces around cells

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 Lymph Nodes
♥Lymph nodes located along
the paths of collecting
vessels
♥Isolated nodules of
lymphatic patches in the
intestinal wall

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 Structure of Lymph
Nodes
♥Lymph nodes are oval-shaped of bean-
shaped structures
♠Some are as small as a pinhead and
others as large as a lima bean

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 Structure of Lymph
♥Each lymph node Nodes
is enclosed by a
fibrous capsule
♥Think of a lymph node as a biological
filter placed in the channel of several
afferent lymph vessels
♠Reticular fibers trap foreign
substances
♠Macrophages and lymphocytes
destroy trapped material

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 Structure of Lymph
Nodes
♥Once lymph enters the node, it
"percolates" slowly through the spaces
known as sinuses before draining into a
single efferent draining vessel
♠One-way valves
in both the
afferent and
efferent vessels
keep lymph
flowing in one
direction

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 Immune Functions
♥filtration and
phagocytosis
♠The structure of
the sinus channels
within the lymph
nodes slows the
lymph flow
through them

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 Immune Functions
♥Allows the phagocytic cells that line the
channels time to remove microorganisms and
other injurious particles (soot) from the lymph
♥Sometimes such large numbers of
microorganisms enter the node that the
phagocytes cannot destroy enough of them to
prevent their injuring the node

Swollen
lymph 45
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 Immune Functions
♥An infection of the node
♥cancer cells often
break away from a
malignant tumor
and enter the
lymphatics
♠they travel to the
node, where they
may set up new
growths

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 Structure of Lymph
Nodes
♥Cancer may metastasize or spread
through the lymph system, lodging in
lymph nodes
♥Tumors in nodes are predictable in
location because of direction of lymph
flow
cancerou norm
♠Cancerous lymph nodessenlarged, al
firm and non-tender
♠Infectious lymph
nodes are tender,
not firm
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 Cancerou
s Norma
l

Lymph Node Cancer

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 Lymphocytes
♥When an infection is present the node
begins to release lymphocytes
♠Lymphocytes mature in the lymph
nodes
♠Lymph nodes are lined with fixed
macrophages, capable of phagocytosis

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 Lymphocytes
♥T-cells and macrophages contained on
the rim of the follicles
♥B-cells proliferate in the central
germinal centers

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 Lymphocytes
♥The lymphatic tissue of lymph nodes
serve as the sites of the final stages of
maturation for some types of
lymphocytes and monocytes that have
migrated from the bone marrow
T-cell attacking
cancer cells

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 Lymph Organs
♥Primary lymphatic organs produce B-
cells and T-cells and include:
♠Red bone marrow
♠Thymus gland
♥Secondary lymphatic organs are:
♠Tonsils
♠Spleen

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 Red bone marrow
♥B-cells and pre-T-cells originate in the
bone marrow

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 Thymus gland
♥Located behind sternum
and between lungs
♥Thymus performs two
important functions:
♠Lymphocyte
development
♠Secrete thymosin

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 Thymus gland
♥Pre-T-cells migrate from red bone
marrow to thymus
♥Proliferate and mature due to thymic
hormone
♥Thymus reaches maximum size at
puberty (10-12 months)
♥As an individual
matures the
thymus gland
atrophies

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 Tonsils
♥Masses of lymphoid tissue located in a
protective ring under mucous
membranes in the mouth and back of
the throat
♥Help protect against bacteria that may
invade tissues in the area around the
openings between the oral and nasal
cavities

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 Tonsils
♥The tonsils serve as the first line of
defense from the exterior and as such
are subject to chronic infection
♠tonsillitis

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 Spleen
♥Roughly ovoid in shape
♥Largest mass of lymphatic tissue
♥Does not filter lymph

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 Functions of the
Spleen
♥Phagocytosis of RBC and bacteria
♥Complete maturation of monocytes
and lymphocytes
♥Blood reservoir

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 Phagocytosis
♥As blood passes
through the spleen,
macrophages lining
these venous spaces
remove
microorganisms from
the blood and destroy
them by phagocytosis

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 Phagocytosis
♥Macrophages lining the spleen remove
worn-out red blood cells and imperfect
platelets from the blood and destroy
them by phagocytosis

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 Phagocytosis
♥Break apart the
hemoglobin molecules
from the destroyed
red blood cells and
salvage their iron and
globin content by
returning them to the
blood stream for
storage in bone
marrow and liver

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 Blood reservoir
♥Pulp of the spleen
and its venous
sinuses store
considerable blood
which can be released
during hemorrhage
Trabecula
e
White
pulp
Red
pulp

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lood reservoir

Trabeculae

White pulp

Red pulp

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 Splenectomy
♥Removal of the
spleen
♥Red bone marrow
and liver perform
functions of the
spleen

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 Disorders of the
Lymphatic System
♥Tonsilitis
♥Lymphangitis
♥Elephantiasis
♥Lymphedema
♥Lymphomas
♥Lymph node
cancer

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 TONSILITIS
♥bacterial or viral infection of the
lymphoid tissue of tonsils
♥soreness of the throat, high fever,
difficulty swallowing

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 LYMPHANGITIS
♥bacterial infection that has spread from
its initial site (skin cut, etc.) to nearby
lymph glands
♥chills, fever, swelling of the lymph glands
♠if the lymphatics
become inflamed, red
lines may appear on
the arms or legs
indicating
concentration of
inflammation along
the lymph channels

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 ELEPHANTIASIS
♥filarial (worm) infestation that blocks
the lymphatics
♥swelling of the area, skin discoloration,
difficulty urinating, etc.

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 LYMPHEDEMA
♥blockage or dysfunction of lymph
vessels or nodes
♠often associated with lymphatic
disorders following surgery for
breast cancer, prostate cancer, etc.
♥swelling of arms
♠breast cancer surgery,
radiation
♥swelling of legs
♠prostate cancer and
gynecologic cancer surgery,
with or without radiation
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 LYMPHOMAS /
LYMPHOSARCOMAS
♥Hodgkin’s Disease
♥loss of energy,
appetite, and weight;
swelling in glands
♥radiation therapy,
chemotherapy
♠Lymphomas can be
cured with early
diagnosis and
treatment

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 CANCER OF LYMPH
GLANDS
♥Symptoms include:
♠loss of energy, appetite, and weight
♠swelling and hardening of glands
♥surgical removal, radiation therapy,
chemotherapy

Cancerou
s tissue

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 Blood Vessels
Arteries

Arterioles

Capillaries

Venules

Veins

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 Arteries
♥Three coats (tunics) line the vessels
♠Intima (tunica interna)
♠Media (tunica media)
♠Adventia (tunica externa)

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 Intima
♥Inner layer
♠Endothelium lining
♠Basal layer
♠Elastic layer

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 Intima
♥Inner layer
♠Endothelium lining
♠Basal layer
♠Elastic layer

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 Tunica media
♥Middle layer
♠Elastic fibers
♠Smooth muscle fibers

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 Tunica media
♥Middle layer
♠Elastic fibers
♠Smooth muscle fibers

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 Adventia
♥Outer layer
♠Elastic fibers
♠Collagen fibers

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 Adventia
♥Outer layer
♠Elastic fibers
♠Collagen fibers

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A - adventia
M - tunica media Artery
I - intima

A
M

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 Vasoconstriction
♥Smooth muscle contracts
♠Arterial lumen size decreases

Click
mouse to
see
animation

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 Vasodilation
♥Smooth muscle relaxes
♠Arterial lumen size increases

Click
mouse to
see
animation

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 Elastic Arteries
♥Large
♠Tunica media contains more elastic
fibers, less smooth muscle

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 Elastic Arteries
♥Walls stretch and
momentarily store
some of the energy of
surging blood
♥During relaxation of
the heart they recoil
converting stored
(potential) energy into
kinetic energy

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 Muscular Arteries
♥Tunica media
contains more
smooth muscle and
fewer elastic fibers

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 Muscular Arteries
♥Capable of greater vasoconstriction

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 Anastomoses
♥Union of branches of two or more
arteries supplying the same body
region
♥Provide alternate routes for blood to
reach a tissue

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 Arterioles
♥Fewer elastic fibers than arteries

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 Arterioles
♥Function in
regulating blood
flow from arteries
into capillaries

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Arterioles

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 Capillaries
♥Microscopic single cell layer (endothelium)
thick
♥Function in exchange of substances
between blood and interstitial fluids

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 Capillaries
♥Three types of capillaries
♠Continuous
♠Fenestrated
♠Sinusoid

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 Continuous capillaries
♥Small gaps between endothelial cells
♥Muscle, lungs

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 Fenestrated
capillaries
♥More openings (pores) than continuous
capillaries
♥Kidneys, small intestine, brain

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 Sinusoid capillaries
♥Large openings
♥Basement membrane is incomplete
♥Liver, spleen, bone marrow

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 Venules
♥Collect blood from capillaries

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Venules

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 Veins
♥Tunics same as arteries
♠Intima is thinner in veins
♠Tunic externa (adventia) is thicker in
veins

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 Veins
♥Blood pressure lower in veins, thus
thinner walls

V
A

Vein Artery
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Veins

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 Veins
♥Lumens contain flap like cusps (valves)

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 Veins
♥Valves prevent back flow of blood
♥Muscular contraction forces blood
through veins

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 Disorders of Blood
Vessels
♥Atherosclerosis
♥Aneurysm
♥Varicose veins

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 Atherosclerosis
♥Cholesterol plaque builds up on the
arterial wall
♥Constricts flow of blood

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Atherosclerosis

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Atherosclerosis

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Atherosclerosis

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 Atherosclerosis
♥Treatments
♠Arthrectomy
♠Angioplasty

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 Aneurysm
♥A weakening of the arteriole wall
causes an out pouching of the artery

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 Aneurysm
♥A weakening of the arteriole wall
causes an out pouching of the artery

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 Varicose Veins
♥Bulging of veins caused by a pooling of
blood behind the venous valves
♥Out pouching of the walls brings veins
closer to the surface of the skin

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 End
Lymphatics and Blood
Vessels

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