Brief summary of the lymphatic system: characteristics, functioning, possible pathologies of the lymphatic system.
The lymphatic system is made up of lymph vessels and lymphoid organs , which are used to transport and collect lymph. This is a milky-colored liquid derived from excess fluids produced by cells, which blood vessels are unable to reabsorb. Lymph has a different composition depending on the organ of origin.
The most important lymphatic vessels are the thoracic duct and the right lymphatic duct ; the first collects lymph from the legs, abdominal organs, the left upper limb, the left half of the head and the neck and flows into the left subclavian vein; the second collects lymph from the right upper limb, the right half of the head and neck and reaches the right subclavian vein.
The lymphoid organs are the thymus , located behind the sternum, the spleen , located in the abdomen just below the chest, and the lymph nodes , distributed throughout the body. In them, white blood cells, such as lymphocytes and macrophages, mature, produced by the bone marrow and essential in the body’s defense against bacteria and viruses.
Lymphocytes mature in the thymus and contribute to the creation of the immune system in childhood, while in adulthood it reduces in size.
Lymph nodes are masses of lymphatic tissue crossed by lymphatic vessels, numerous especially in the armpit area and in the groin. Their task is to filter and purify the lymph.
The spleen contains macrophages and lymphocytes, thus performing an important defensive task; furthermore, red blood cells are destroyed in it and, in cases of particular diseases, it is able to produce them and release them into the blood.
LYMPHATIC SYSTEM: FUNCTIONS
However, lymphatic tissue is also abundant in other organs such as the intestine and tonsils .
The lymphatic system not only returns to the blood, through the vessels, specific elements such as proteins and fats absorbed from the intestine during digestion, but is also part of the immune system . In fact, lymphocytes and macrophages are produced by the bone marrow, but, as already mentioned, they mature and accumulate in the lymphoid organs and are transferred to the blood through the lymphatic vessels. They constitute the cellular element of the lymph.
White blood cells are extremely specialized cells that are able to destroy bacteria and viruses that attack our body. They have the ability to destroy bacteria by phagocytizing them directly or by producing molecules called antibodies , which destroy them and maintain their memory. They are therefore able to activate automatically every time the same bacterium appears in our body.
Lymphocytes also play a role in “immune surveillance” of our own cells, which can sometimes go crazy and reproduce wildly, as in the case of cancer.
