Anatomy of Lymphatic System

 

  • The lymphatic system is distributed throughout the entire human body, except for the bone marrow, cartilage, and the central nervous system.

    The lymphatic capillary network wraps around the surface of the body and lines the internal surface of the gastrointestinal and respiratory tract.

  • To return protein deposits and extra tissue fluid extravasated from the blood capillaries to the interstitial tissues to feed into the blood circulation system to maintain fluid balance in the body.

    To convey germs and pathogens to the lymph nodes via the lymphatic vessels to activate the immunological chain reaction that defends the body.

  • It is crucial for predicting which lymph nodes may be the site of metastatic disease after a primary tumor

    And for understanding the pathological changes that occur in lympedema

    1. Congenital lymphedema represents various structural abnormalities: aplasia and hyperplasia associated with malfunctioning valves in the lymphatic vessel.

    2. 2. Gene mutations associated with other vascular malformations are identified as mutations of FOX C2 or SOX18.4

      3. Acquired factors include trauma, filariasis, and cancer treatment

  • It involves various structural abnormalities:

    1. Aplasia
      a birth defect where an organ or tissue is wholly or largely absent

    2. Hyperplasia

      The enlargement of an organ caused by an increase in the reproduction rate of its cells. It is related to malfunctioning valves in the lymphatic vessel.

  • FOX C2

    SOX 18

  • Trauma, filariasis, and cancer treatment

    • Filariasis: an infectious tropical disease caused by any one of several thread-like parasitic round worms

  • Related to cancer treatment triggered by breaking of the lymphatic vessels following lymph node dissection and/or radiation

  • Primary course of treatment

    1. MLD (manual lymphatic drainage)

    2. Skin

    3. Compression Garments

  • Lymphaticovenular anastomosis

    Indocyanine green fluorescene lymphograph

    1. Lymph Capillaries

      • 20-70 micro meter in diameter

      • Located under the epidermis

      • No valve

      • Begins with a blind ending (closed at one end)

      • The endothelial cells connect with each other loosely in an overlapping pattern

    2. Pre-collectors

      • fibrous anchoring filament

      • connects endothelial cell with surrounding tissue

      • Cause edema when the anchoring filaments pull the endothelial cells outward so the junctions between the cells open up to capture the ECF into the lumen

    3. Lymph-collecting vessels

    https://flipper.diff.org/app/items/info/4245

Lymph Capillary with an overlapping pattern

 
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