The lymphatic system also absorbs fats and important vitamins and spreads them throughout the body to the areas they are needed and thus helps keep nutrient levels balanced. One of the major components of the lymph system is the thymus and the bone marrow. These two systems are very important in the production of antibodies, regenerative cells, and work to help identify invading viruses and bacteria and helps the body fight off illness and disease.
The healthy function of these two systems is enhanced greatly by appropriate lymph circulation, good hydration, and a proper pH balance in the body. Even though the lymph system is a type of circulatory system, it does not have a pump like the heart functions for blood circulation. Instead, the lymph system uses lymph vessels and lymph nodes to absorb the fluids and utilizes the pumping movement of the bones and muscles as we move to push the fluids throughout the body.
Being active and moving is critical to the lymph system functioning at maximum efficiency. Without the squeezing of the lymphatic vessels by muscles all the toxins and waste materials begin to accumulate in tissue and this causes pain and inflammation and can lead to illness and a host of other problems.
Now that you have a better understanding of the importance of the lymphatic system, what can you and your local medical care team do to keep the system functioning the best that it can:. Maintaining a healthy and fully functioning lymph system is so very important for the removal of the harmful waste products that the body naturally produces as well as the removal of the toxins that we all accumulate.
It drains fluid called lymph that has leaked from the blood vessels into the tissues and empties it back into the bloodstream via the lymph nodes. The lymph nodes and other lymphatic structures like the spleen and thymus hold special white blood cells called lymphocytes.
These can rapidly multiply and release antibodies in response to bacteria, viruses, and a range of other stimuli from dead or dying cells and abnormally behaving cells such as cancer cells. The blood in our blood vessels is under constant pressure. All of the fluids and its contents that leak out into the tissues as well as waste products formed in the tissues, and bacteria that enter them through our skin are removed from them by the lymphatic system. When the lymphatic system does not drain fluids from the tissues properly, the tissues swell, appearing puffy and uncomfortable.
If the swelling only lasts for a short period it is called oedema. If it lasts longer more than about three months it is called lymphoedema. The lymphatic vessels are found everywhere in our body. Generally, more active areas have more of them. The smaller lymphatic vessels, which take up the fluids, are called lymph capillaries.
The larger lymphatic vessels have muscles in their walls which helps them gently and slowly pulsate. These larger lymphatic vessels also have valves that stop the lymph flowing back the wrong way. Lymph vessels take the lymph back to the lymph nodes there are about of these in total , which are found in our arm pit and groin as well as many other areas of the body such as the mouth, throat and intestines.
The fluid that arrives in the lymph nodes is checked and filtered. Most of it continues on to where the lymphatic system from most of our body the left arm, tummy, chest, and legs empties out at the left shoulder area. Lymph from the right arm and face and part of the right chest empties into the blood at the right shoulder area. The spleen is located in the abdominal tummy area on the left side, just under the diaphragm.
It is the largest of our lymphatic organs. The spleen does many things as it filters and monitors our blood. As well as removing microbes, the spleen also destroys old or damaged red blood cells. It can also help in increasing blood volume quickly if a person loses a lot of blood. The thymus is inside the ribcage, just behind the breastbone.
It filters and monitors our blood content. It produces cells called T-lymphocytes which circulate around the body. The lymphatic system helps maintain fluid balance. It returns excess fluid and proteins from the tissues that cannot be returned through the blood vessels. The fluid is found in tissue spaces and cavities, in the tiny spaces surrounding cells, known as the interstitial spaces.
These are reached by the smallest blood and lymph capillaries. Around 90 percent of the plasma that reaches tissues from the arterial blood capillaries is returned by the venous capillaries and back along veins.
The remaining 10 percent is drained back by the lymphatics. Each day, around liters is returned. This fluid includes proteins that are too large to be transported via the blood vessels. Loss of the lymphatic system would be fatal within a day.
Without the lymphatic system draining excess fluid, our tissues would swell, blood volume would be lost and pressure would increase. Most of the fats absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract are taken up in a part of the gut membrane in the small intestine that is specially adapted by the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system has tiny lacteals in this part of the intestine that form part of the villi.
These finger-like protruding structures are produced by the tiny folds in the absorptive surface of the gut. Lacteals absorb fats and fat-soluble vitamins to form a milky white fluid called chyle. This fluid contains lymph and emulsified fats, or free fatty acids.
It delivers nutrients indirectly when it reaches the venous blood circulation. Blood capillaries take up other nutrients directly. The third function is to defend the body against unwanted organisms. Without it, we would die very soon from an infection. Our bodies are constantly exposed to potentially hazardous micro-organisms, such as infections.
However, pathogens often do succeed in entering the body despite these defenses. In this case, the lymphatic system enables our immune system to respond appropriately. If the immune system is not able to fight off these micro-organisms, or pathogens, they can be harmful and even fatal.
A number of different immune cells and special molecules work together to fight off the unwanted pathogens. The lymphatic system produces white blood cells, known as lymphocytes. There are two types of lymphocyte, T cells and B cells. They both travel through the lymphatic system. As they reach the lymph nodes, they are filtered and become activated by contact with viruses, bacteria, foreign particles, and so on in the lymph fluid.
From this stage, the pathogens, or invaders, are known as antigens. As the lymphocytes become activated, they form antibodies and start to defend the body. They can also produce antibodies from memory if they have already encountered the specific pathogen in the past. Collections of lymph nodes are concentrated in the neck, armpits, and groin. It is in the lymph nodes that the lymphocytes first encounter the pathogens, communicate with each other, and set off their defensive response. Activated lymphocytes then pass further up the lymphatic system so that they can reach the bloodstream.
Now, they are equipped to spread the immune response throughout the body, through the blood circulation. The lymphatic system can stop working properly if nodes, ducts, vessels, or lymph tissues become blocked, infected, inflamed, or cancerous.
Cancer that starts in the lymphatic system is known as lymphoma. It is the most serious lymphatic disease. Hodgkin lymphoma affects a specific type of white blood cell known as Reed-Sternberg cells. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma refers to types that do not involve these cells. Cancer that affects the lymphatic system is usually a secondary cancer.
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