1. Lymphatic System

2. Lymphatic System The lymphatic system is a complex
network of connective tissue that is
composed of:
Lymphoid organs
Lymph nodes
Lymph ducts
Lymph vessels
Lymph capillaries

3. Lymphatic System The accessory lymphoid tissue of
the lymphoid organ system are:
Thymus
Spleen
Lymph nodes
Peyer’s patches
Adenoids
Tonsils
Vermiform appendix
Red bone marrow

4. Lymphatic System

5. Lymphatic System The most important functions of the
lymphatic system are:
Maintenance of fluid balance in the internal environment
Collects and returns interstitial fluid, including plasma protein to the blood to help maintain fluid balance
Immunity
To defend the body against disease by producing lymphocytes 
To absorb lipids from the intestine

6. Lymphatic System The lymphatic system transports a
watery clear fluid called lymph fluid
Distributes immune cells and other factors throughout the body
Interacts with the blood circulatory system to drain fluid from cells and tissues 

7. Lymphatic Vessels

8. Lymphatic System
From one-third to two-thirds of the plasma entering a capillary passes into the tissue space.
The cells in the tissue space are bathed in this interstitial or extracellular fluid (ECF) that has been filtered from the blood. In the tissue space is where cells acquire all their needs and deposit all their products.
Although most of this interstitial fluid returns to the venule end of the capillary, some does not.

9. Lymphatic System
The small amount of interstitial fluid that remains is picked up by tiny vessels called lymph capillaries.
The cells forming the walls of the lymph capillaries are loosely fitted together making the wall very porous.
Even the large serum proteins that filtered through the capillary wall pass easily from the tissue space into the interior of the lymph capillary.
The lymph capillaries of the intestinal villi, called lacteals, also pick up fat droplets.

10. Lymphatic System
The lymph capillaries drain into still larger vessels that make up the lymphatic system.
The flow through the lymph vessels is slow. Like blood in the veins, contraction of skeletal muscles compresses the lymph vessels and squeezes the lymph.
Like the return of blood in the veins, the lymph can flow only in one direction because of valves in the vessels.

11. Lymphatic System All the lymph collected from the entire
Left side of the body
Digestive tract and
Right side of the lower part of the body
The lymph then flows into a single major
vessel, the thoracic duct.

12. Lymphatic System The thoracic duct empties about 100 ml
of lymph every hour into the left
subclavian vein.
The lymph in the right side of the head,
neck, and chest is collected by the right
lymph duct and empties into the right

13. Lymphatic System and Edema
The production of lymph is increased by
increased blood pressure in the capillaries and/or a decreased concentration of plasma proteins—such as occurs in prolonged malnutrition.
The lymphatic system may be unable to handle the increased volume of lymph, and it may accumulate in the tissues and distend them. This condition is known as edema.

14. Lymphatic System: Lymph Nodes
Lymph nodes act as filters, with an internal
honeycomb of reticular connective tissue that
traps foreign particles.
They are bean shaped
From a few millimeters to about 1-2 cm in size
Humans have approximately lymph nodes
When the body is fighting an infection,
lymphocytes multiply rapidly and produce a
characteristic swelling of the lymph nodes.

15. Lymphatic System: Lymph Nodes
Lymph nodes contain cavities, called sinuses, into which the lymph flows.
The walls of the sinuses are lined with phagocytic cells, which engulf any foreign particles like bacteria. Tests have demonstrated that over 99% of the bacteria carried into a node are screened out before the lymph leaves the node on its return to the blood.
This filtering mechanism is one of the most important body defenses against infectious disease. When combating a heavy infection, the lymph nodes enlarge producing "swollen glands."

16. Lymphatic System: Lymph Nodes
Several hundred lymph nodes are
scattered throughout the body
especially in the
Groin
Armpits
Abdomen
Neck

17. Lymphatic System: Lymph Nodes
Lymph nodes manufacture
Antibodies
Lymphocytes
which then enter the blood at the
subclavian veins.

18. Lymph Node

19. Lymphatic System
Lymph movement occurs slowly with low pressure due to peristalsis, valves, and the milking action of skeletal muscles.
Like veins, lymph travels through vessels in one way only, due to semilunar valves.

20. Lymphatic System Lymphocytes
The lymphatic system contains
immune cells called lymphocytes.
They protect the body against antigens (viruses, bacteria, etc.) that invade the body
Lymphocytes collect and destroy antigens and pathogens

21. Lymphatic System Lymphocytes

22. Lymphatic System and Fat Transport
The lymphatic system also absorbs fatty acids
and transports fat, as chyle to the circulatory
system.
Chyle is a milky fluid consisting of lymph and
emulsified fats or free fatty acids (FFAs).
Formed in the small intestine during digestion of ingested fatty foods
Taken up by lymph vessels known as lacteals
Passed to the bloodstream through the thoracic duct
Lacteals are located in the lining of the GI tract.

23. Lacteals
The lacteals are lymphatic capillaries that absorbs dietary fats in the villi of the small intestine.

24. Lymphatic System and Chyle
Chyle is composed of fat globules that
give it a milky appearance
Has a thin protein coating
Is a micron or less in size—there are about 25,000 microns to an inch
After a meal it takes two to three hours
for fat to be absorbed from the small
intestine and travel through ever larger
lymph channels.

25. Lymphatic System and Lymph
Lymph originates as blood plasma that leaks
from the capillaries becoming interstitial fluid
that fills the space between individual cells of
tissue.
Plasma is forced out of the capillaries— filtration
Forced back in—absorption
Due to interactions of:
Hydrostatic pressure—movement out of the capillaries)
Oncotic pressure—movement into the capillaries

27. Lymphatic System and Fat Transport
Because lymph carries lipids it also carries lipid-soluble vitamins absorbed from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
Since there is no active pump in the lymph system, there is no back-pressure produced. The lymphatic vessels, like veins, have one-way valves that prevent backflow.

28. Lymphatic System Lymphatic function supports every
other system in the body including:
The immune system
Digestive system
Detoxification
Nervous system
Poor lymph health contributes to
many conditions from cellulite to
cancer.

29. Lymphatic System
Lymph is an alkaline fluid (pH > 7.0) that is usually clear, transparent, and colorless.
It flows in the lymphatic vessels and bathes tissues and organs in its protective covering.
There are no RBCs in lymph and it has a lower protein content than blood. Like blood, it is slightly heavier than water.

30. Lymphatic System and the Blood
Blood constitutes about 7% of the body's total weight.
Blood flows from the heart into arteries, then to capillaries, and returns to the heart through veins.
All blood cells are manufactured by stem cells, which live mainly in the bone marrow, by a process called hematopoiesis.

31. Lymphatic System and the Blood
Stem cells produce hemocytoblasts that
differentiate into precursors for all the
different types of blood cells.
Hemocytoblasts mature into three types
of blood cells:
Erythrocytes (red blood cells or RBCs)
Leukocytes (white blood cells or WBCs)
Thrombocytes (platelets)

32. Lymphatic System and Blood Cells

33. CYMATHERAPY® BIORESONANCE
Copyright  2007 Elizabeth Bauer for
Cymatherapy® International. All Rights Reserved.