Lympatic System

Question 1

What is the lymphatic system?

Answer 1

A large network of lymphatic vessels that carry a clear fluid called lymph directly towards the heart

Question 2

How is excess fluid drained from the tissues?

Answer 2

lympatic capillaries

Question 3

Name the components of the lymphatic system

Answer 3

• lymph and lymphatic vessels
• lymph nodes
• lymph organs
• diffuse lymphoid tissues
• red bone marrow

Question 4

Give examples of lymph organs

Answer 4

Spleen

Thymus

Question 5

Give examples of lymphoid tissue

Answer 5

Tonsils

Adenoids

Question 6

What are the 3 functions of the lymphatic system?

Answer 6

tissue drainage
immunity
absorption

Question 7

Explain the function of ‘tissue drainage’

Answer 7

Drainage of interstitial fluid. The fluid that cells are bathed in, originating in the plasma

Question 8

Explain the function of ‘immunity’

Answer 8

Production, maturation and activation of lymphocytes (type of white blood cell)

Question 9

Explain the function of ‘absorption’

Answer 9

absorption of fats from small intestines

Question 10

Describe ‘lymph’

Answer 10

clear, watery fluid, similar in composition to the plasma but without plasma proteins

Question 11

Where are lymphocytes found and what do they do?

Answer 11

Both the blood and lymph contain lymphocytes. The white blood cells responsible for adaptive immunity

Question 12

Where is lymph derived from?

Answer 12

Interstitial fluid and they are identical in composition

Question 13

Explain how lymph is derived from interstitial fluid

Answer 13

within the tissues, there is an exchange of water (fluid) and solutes between the plasma and the interstitial fluid compartment.
An excess tissue fluid is drained by lymphatic capillaries.
Fluid within the lymphatic vessels is termed lymph

Question 14

What is ‘lymph’?

Answer 14

fluid within the lymphatic vessels

Question 15

When lymph is derived from interstitial fluid, should plasma proteins enter the interstitial fluid, what happens?

Answer 15

the plasma proteins will enter the lymphatic capillaries and be returned to the blood circulation

Question 16

How are plasma proteins found in interstitial fluid returned to the blood?

Answer 16

FILTRATION of water into the tissue fluid from the blood.
Tissue fluid formed from drainage out of the blood, carried to the lymphatic capillaries and a proportion drained back through to blood flow through osmosis

Question 17

Define ‘osmosis’

Answer 17

Osmosis is the movement of water or other solvent through a plasma membrane from a region of low concentration to high concentration

Question 18

What happens to the lymphatic tumour?

Answer 18

bacteria and cell debris will be drained into the lymphatic tumour located within the tissues

Question 19

Explain how the lymphatic system and circulatory system are strongly connected

Answer 19

the two systems run alongside each other, often as a parallel set of vessels. Nearly all organs have a blood supply, so nearly all organs have a lymphatic drainage

Question 20

How are veins and lymphatic vessels described to be similar?

Answer 20

Lymphatic vessels are used for the drainage of lymph, just as veins are for the drainage of blood

Question 21

Lymph flows along lymphatic vessels and through…

Answer 21

..a series of lymph nodes

Question 22

How does lymph move?

Answer 22

largely through the squeezing action of adjacent muscles

Question 23

What keeps lymph flowing in the right direction?

Answer 23

valves

Question 24

Describe lymph nodes

Answer 24

bean-shaped organs, lie often in groups along the lymph vessels,c containing a meshwork of fibres

Question 25

Before returning to the venous circulation, how many lymph node does lymph usually pass through?

Answer 25

8-10 nodes

Question 26

What doe lymph nodes contain?

Answer 26

Millions of immune cells, particularly lymphocytes, dendritic cells and macrophages

Question 27

Lymph nodes can be described as filtering devices, why?

Answer 27

They filter matter such as, bacteria, cell debris, tumour cells

Question 28

How do lymph nodes filter matter?

Answer 28

engulf and break them down using macrophages

Question 29

What cells multiply in lymph nodes?

Answer 29

T and B cells
T = thymus cells
B = bone marrow derived
Both are types of lymphocytes

Question 30

What is ‘the spleen’ and where is it located?

Answer 30

essentially a very large lymph node, situated at the back, behind the stomach

Question 31

What does the spleen do?

Answer 31

breaks down the old red blood cells

can store blood

Question 32

What’s the importance of the spleen in pregnancy?

Answer 32

It is the site of red blood cell production in the foetus (as apposed to bone marrow in the adult)

Question 33

Where does maturation thymus lymphocytes occur?

Answer 33

The thymus gland

Question 34

What do bone marrow cells (B Cells) do?

Answer 34

Produce antibodies which can circulate around the body

Question 35

During maturation of thymus lymphocytes, what is removed?

Answer 35

Thymus cells (T cells) that recognise ‘self’ antigens

Question 36

What are ‘self’ antigens?

Answer 36

are (usually) proteins from our own tissues against which we could potentially mount an immune response

Question 37

What does MALT stand for?

Answer 37

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue

Question 38

What is the MALT?

Answer 38

A diffuse system of small concentrations of lymphoid tissue found in various submucosal membrane sites of the body such as; GI tract, oral passage, thyroid, breast, eyes and skin

Question 39

What is MALT populated by?

Answer 39

lymphocytes such as T and B cells, as well as plasma cells and macrophages, each of which is situated to encounter antigens passing through the mucosal epithelium

Question 40

What is lymphoid tissue?

Answer 40

isolated patches all round the body where they may be a site of infection

Question 41

What is mucous?

Answer 41

lining of the gut

Question 42

Give an example of MALT

Answer 42

The tonsils - patches of lymphoid tissue containing T and B cells

Question 43

The lymphatic system is a closed system. True or False?

Answer 43

False.

It is an open system. Continuous fluid and drainage action from the lymph