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The lymphatic system, or lymphoid system, is an organ system in vertebrates that is part of the immune system and complementary to the circulatory system. It consists of a large network of lymphatic vessels , lymph nodes , lymphoid organs, lymphatic tissue and lymph .
The Lymphology Association of North America, formerly known as the American Society of Lymphology, is a non-profit organization based in Kansas City, Missouri. [1] The society provides current information and resources for professionals and patients interested in the healthy function and disorders of the lymphatic system, such as immune response, allergies, infectious disease and circulatory ...
Lymph (from Latin lympha 'water') [1] is the fluid that flows through the lymphatic system, a system composed of lymph vessels (channels) and intervening lymph nodes whose function, like the venous system, is to return fluid from the tissues to be recirculated.
The mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT), also called mucosa-associated lymphatic tissue, is a diffuse system of small concentrations of lymphoid tissue found in various submucosal membrane sites of the body, such as the gastrointestinal tract, nasopharynx, thyroid, breast, lung, salivary glands, eye, and skin.
A lymph node, or lymph gland, [1] is a kidney-shaped organ of the lymphatic system and the adaptive immune system. A large number of lymph nodes are linked throughout the body by the lymphatic vessels. They are major sites of lymphocytes that include B and T cells. Lymph nodes are important for the proper functioning of the immune system ...
Lymphangiogenesis plays an important physiological role in homeostasis, metabolism and immunity. Impaired or excessive lymphatic vessel formation has been implicated in a number of pathological conditions including neoplasm metastasis, [3] oedema, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, lymphangiomatosis and impaired wound healing.
Unlike the cardiovascular system, the lymphatic system is not closed and has no central pump. Lymph movement occurs despite low pressure due to peristalsis (propulsion of the lymph due to alternate contraction and relaxation of smooth muscle), valves, and compression during contraction of adjacent skeletal muscle and arterial pulsation. [3]
These are drained by the right lymphatic duct. [1] Diagram showing parts of the body that drain into the right lymphatic duct. The lymph transport, in the thoracic duct, is mainly caused by the action of breathing, aided by the duct's smooth muscle and by internal valves which prevent the lymph from flowing back down again. There are also two ...