The Lymphatic System - Biofluidmechanics: An Introduction to Fluid Mechanics Macrocirculation and Microcirculation - page 241

CHAPTER
8

Th e Lymphatic Syst em

LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Identify the components of the lymphatic

system

9. Model lymph flow rate and the direction

of flow through the lymphatic system

2. Compare the structure of lymphatic vessels

to blood vessels

10. Describe the lymphatic pump and compare

this pump to the venous pump

3. Describe the movement of water from the

blood capillaries to the lymphatic capillaries

11. Discuss the lymph node structure

12. Identify the direction of lymph flow

through the lymph node 4. Discuss the function of lymph-collecting

vessels

13.

Explain cancer metastasis and why the
lymphatic system is important during
cancer

5.

Identify salient lymphatic organs

6. Explain the function of lymphatic organs

14. Analyze edema and the role of the

lymphatic system during edema

7. Identify the major regulators that act

during lymph formation

8. Compare the composition of lymph to the

composition of extracellular fluid and
blood

8.1 LYMPHATIC PHYSIOLOGY

The lymphatic system consists of lymphatic vessels, lymphoid tissues and organs,
lymph, and a small quantity of lymphocytes. We will discuss the first three components of
the lymphatic system in this chapter. The remaining component, lymphocytes, was dis-
cussed briefly in Section 5.3 with the other types of white blood cells that circulate in the
blood, and will only be reviewed here. The function of lymphatic vessels is to carry lymph
away from tissues and back to the venous side of the cardiovascular system or to the right