the lymphatic system Flashcards
what is the lymphatic system responsible for?
returning the excess tissue fluid that has leaked out of the capillaries to the circulating blood
what is the tissue fluid found in the lymphatic system called?
lymph
what are the functions of the lymphatic system?
- return excess tissue fluid
- remove bacteria and foreign particles from lymph
- produces antibodies (lymphocytes)
- transport the products of fat digestion
what is lymph filtered through to get rid of bacteria?
lymph nodes
what is the lymphatic system made up of?
- lymphatic capillaries
- lymphatic vessels
- lymphatic ducts
- lymph nodes
what does the lymphatic system aid in?
drainage and removal of fluid from the tissues
where is excess lymph collected?
in the lymphatic capillaries AKA “lacteals”
what are the lymphatic capillaries responsible for?
collecting products of fat digestion
what is the purpose of the valve in the lymphatic vessels?
to prevent backflow or pooling of lymph
what are the 3 main components of the lymphatic system?
- tonsils
- spleen
- thymus
what is the function of the tonsils in the lymphatic system?
fight off germs that come in through the nose and the mouth
what are the specialised cells found on the surface of the tonsils called?
m cells
what are “m cells” purpose?
detect antigens produced by pathogens and alert b and t cells
what do b cells do?
multiply rapidly and produce an anti-bodies outside of the cells
what do t cells do?
multiply rapidly and produce an anti-bodies inside of the cells
