The Lymphatic System Essay

Lymphoma or lymphatic cancer is a very serious and life threatening disease. In this country there is an estimated 63,900 new cases, 7,100 of which are Hodgkin’s lymphoma as opposed to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Since around the 70’s the occurrence of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma has almost doubled while the occurrence of Hodgkin’s disease has declined. (Steen, 1993)

The Circulatory system is responsible for the transport of blood throughout the body. The Circulatory system has many organs. The main components are the heart, the blood, and the blood vessels. It also consists of arteries, arterioles,

A. Compare and contrast afferent and efferent lymphatic vessels. Describe in one way in which they are similar and one way they are different.

LYMPHATIC SYSTEM: THE NETWORK OF VESSELS THROUGH WHICH LYMPH DRAINS FROM THE TISSUES INTO THE BLOOD. – OXFORD ONLINE DICTIONARIES

It collects excess fluid and particulate matter. It deposits them in the blood stream through the

The renal system also known as the urinary systems purpose is to eliminate wastes from the body, regulate blood pressure, and regulate blood pH.

The circulatory and immune systems are two very closely related systems. The circulatory is composed out of blood vessels, the heart, and blood. The immune system is made up of white blood cells and various lymph nodes. Basically, most of the immune system is found inside the blood of the circulatory system. The circulatory system provides the body with blood. It gives the kidneys of the digestive system something to filter and picks up nutrients from the small intestines. It also picks up air from the lungs of the respiratory system and provides the brain of the nervous system with blood, along with the rests of the body. Protection from wounds in the integumentary system is also provided by the circulatory system which has platelets that aid in blood clotting and forming scabs. The immune system protects all the other systems from disease and helps them from being attacked by viruses and bacteria. It also aids the ears of the nervous system with some very protective earwax. The circulatory system provides us with life fluid while the immune system protects that fluid and the rest of our body.

The lymphatic system works in three ways. It helps to control the balance of the body’s fluids by draining and cleansing fluid that seeps from the circulatory system during normal cardiovascular circulation. As fluid leaves the circulatory system it enters the tissue cells and whilst the majority of it diffuses back into the vessels of the circulatory system, the remainder enters the open ends of the lymph vessels. The lymphatic system also works with the villi in the digestive system to help deliver fats and absorbed nutrients in the digested food we eat, back to the circulatory system. This fluid is not called

Through a series of steps called the immune response, the body’s immune system attacks invading disease-causing organisms and substances. The cells involved in this immune response are called leukocytes. Leukocytes are produced and stored in the thymus, spleen, and bone marrow (lymphoid organs). There is also lymphoid tissue throughout the body that houses leukocytes (lymph nodes). The leukocytes circulate through the body between the organs and nodes via lymphatic vessels and blood vessels.

The organs that make up the lymphatic and immune system are the tonsils, spleen, thymus gland, lymph nodes, and lymphatic vessels. White blood cells (leukocytes), red blood cells (erythrocytes), plasma, and platelets (thrombocytes) make up the blood. Lymphocytes are leukocytes (white blood cells) that help the body fight off diseases. Two types of lymphocytes are B cells and T cells. Lymphocytes recognize antigens, or foreign substances/matter, in the body. Lymphocytes are a classification of agranulocytes, or cells (-cytes) without (a-) granules (granul/o) in the cytoplasm. B cells are created from stem cells, which are located in the bone marrow. B cells respond to antigens by becoming plasma cells. These plasma cells then create antibodies. Memory B cells produce a stronger response with the next exposure to the antigen. B cells fight off infection and bacteria while T cells defend against viruses and cancer cells. A hormone created by the thymus gland called thymosin changes lymphocytes into T cells. The thymus gland is active when you are a child and slowly shrinks, as you get older. T cells bind to the antigens on the cells and directly attack them. T cells secrete lymphokines that increase T cell production and directly kill cells with antigens. There are three types of T cells: cytotoxic T cells, helper T cells, and memory T cells.

Some of the most common signs and symptoms patients experience with the disease of Lymphedema is swelling and a feeling of “fullness” in their arms and legs. Patients at times have described the loss of flexibility due to the increase in pain. In addition, the inability to wear their clothes, rings, and wristwatches due to the feeling of them being too tight.

The lymphatic system are a complex network of specialised cells and organs that defend the body against infection. Lymphatic organs include the bone marrow, spleen, thymus gland, lymph nodes, tonsils, adenoids, appendix and clumps of tissue in the small bowel. A function of the lymphatic system is to nurture and mature the B and T-lymphocytes (white blood cells vital to immune function). Cancerous changes can take place

spleen is a place for immune function, and it kills defective or aged red blood

The purpose of this exercise is to learn about the lymphatic system and how it works and helps the human body. Why we need it and the components associated with the lymphatic system.

The neutrophils are attracted by fibronectine and growth factors which leads to them performing their role of phagocytosis. Phagocytosis allows the neutrophils to engulf all the debris and bacteria that are in and surround the site therefore getting rid of foreign particles and allow a clean environment for the inflammation to being to happen. As a result of the phagocytosis happening this then leads to macrophages replacing neutrophils which come from immature monocytes which are stored in spleen, they secrete growth factors and cytokines which lead onto the next phase of the healing response which is the proliferation phase (Frederic H. Martni, Judi L. Natch, Edwin F. Bartholomew, 2014).