The Lymphatic System: PART 1 (What Is The Purpose Of The Lymphatic System)

stefunniy (39)in #health • 6 years ago (edited)

I recently got a text message by my good friend, Ricky! We speak every now and then always about health and spirituality. The recent message today consisted of health. He got my mind ringing with ideas for my next blog! From the title of this post, You can see we will be discussing the The Lymphatic system. I actually have not studied this system enough until now. I am sharing with you the information I have read about this system. All the information I have read and researched about The Lymphatic system can be found at the end of this post, the links will be provided for your own research.

The Lymphatic System

The Lymphatic System is important for proper immune function. The Lymphatic System consists of organs such as the thymus, the spleen, the tonsils, lymph, and lymph nodes. The system's primary function is to transport lymph, a fluid that carries white blood cells, that helps rid the body of toxins, waste, and other unwanted materials.

The Function of The Lymphatic System

The system provides consistent cleaning operating at cellular level. The lymph, or fluid, between the spaces of cells is constantly drained. It drains waste products, toxins, and other debris from the tissues. The lymph flows through the lymph nodes, where macrophages filter out the unwanted in the body.

The spleen, the thymus, and bone marrow filter out old red blood cells that need replacing. So, for those who think the spleen is irrelevant or unnecessary is sadly mistaken. The spleen plays an important role in the body, it is the largest organ in the lymphatic system and if your spleen and lymph nodes are functioning properly then your body is less vulnerable to inflammation, dis-ease, and infection. The spleen is located on the left side of the body just above the kidney. The spleen is populated with macrophages, dentric cells, red blood cells, killer cells, and B & T cells. The spleen is vital for manufacturing the appropriate antigen response brought from the B cells. People who remove their spleen are more more prone to illness and dis-ease. The spleen acts as a blood filter because it controls the amount of red blood cells and blood storage in the body, and helps to fight infection.

The thymus is where T cells mature. T cells secrete interleukin- 1, interleukin- 2, interferon, and activates B cells so that they produce antibodies. T cells help destroy infected or cancerous cells in the body. The thymus is located in the chest just above the heart. The bone marrow ties in with the thymus and is another important component of the Lymphatic System. Bone marrow produces new white blood cells, platelets, B cells, killer cells, granulocytes, and thermocytes. The bone marrow and thymus constitute the primary lymphoid tissues involved in the production and early selection of lymphocytes. Some of the white blood cells made in the bone marrow leave the bone marrow and mature else where in the body. All cells of the immune system come originally from the bone marrow.

The tonsils are a large cluster of lymphatic cells found in the pharynx. These are the two large protruding tissues on the sides of the back of the throat. The tonsils encompass both the nasopharynx and the oropharynx. The tonsils create some form of barrier and is the first point of contact the immune system has with bacteria and microbes inhaled or digested. The tonsils also help in creating antibodies that help in building an immunity to infectious dis-eases.

Lastly, I will finish explaining the Lymphatic System with the function of the lymph nodes and lymph. Lymph is a colorless fluid. The word "lymph" comes from the Latin word "lympha" that means "clear water, " according to dictionary.com. Lymph helps the body's cells by delivering nutrients and removing unwanted debris and toxins. Most of the fluid returns to the venous circulation through tiny blood vessels called venules and continue as venous blood. Lymph flows in one direction and thats upward towards the neck, according to mayo clinic.

Enlarged lymph nodes are one of the most common dis-eases. Swelling due to lymph node blockage causes dis-ease and cancer in the human body. When bacteria are recognized in the lymph, the lymph nodes make more white blood cells, which can cause swelling. If lymph nodes are surgically removed, there is a higher risk of chronic swelling and pain. Most women who suffer from breast cancer and other related upper body organ cancers, involves the surgical removal of lymph nodes.