The lymphatic system collects and carries lymph, a fluid containing white blood cells, throughout the body to support the immune system, remove waste, and absorb fat. Lymph nodes and other organs play a role in fighting infection, but lymphatic dysfunction can lead to ailments such as lymphedema and lymphoma.
Lymphatics are small capillaries that collect and carry extracellular tissue fluid, called lymph, throughout the lymphatic system before it eventually joins the bloodstream. These vessels can be found in almost all organs and tissues of the body, with the exception of bone, central nervous system, muscular endomysium and superficial layers of skin. The basic functions of the lymphatic system include supporting the immune system by destroying pathogens, removing excess fluid and waste from tissue, and absorbing fat from food.
Lymph is an aqueous fluid that contains several types of molecules, including proteins, glucose, urea, salts, and white blood cells, which help fight infection. This fluid actually begins as plasma in the blood, which flows into the capillary beds where it supplies the cells with needed nutrients and removes waste products. Most of this plasma re-enters the circulatory system; however, a small percentage of fluid is left in the tissues, so it is called lymph and will be collected by lymphatics and circulated through the lymphatic system.
Basically, the lymphatic system is the body’s first defense against infectious organisms and diseases and plays an essential role in immune function. In addition to lymphatics, this system is also composed of nodes, which are small organs that contain many white blood cells. The lymph will pass through these nodes before entering the bloodstream after which the toxins and infectious material will be filtered out and destroyed. These lymph nodes, along with the spleen, are the main areas of the body where white blood cells fight infection. Other important members of the lymphatic system include the bone marrow and thymus, which help make white blood cells.
Several ailments are associated with lymphatic dysfunction. The most common is lymphedema, or lymphatic insufficiency, which occurs when the lymph vessels fail to collect lymph from the tissues, causing swelling or edema. Symptoms of lymphedema vary, from mild swelling to disfiguring fluid accumulations and life-threatening infections resulting from bacterial contamination of the protein-rich fluid in the tissue space. Lymphoma is a general term for a heterogeneous group of tumors that arise in the lymphatic system, most often from the malignant transformation of a lymphocyte. Lymphatic insufficiency can also occur in the digestive system, and this impairment can cause malabsorption diseases with serious consequences, such as malnutrition, immune impairment, underdevelopment of affected children, and even death.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
