BSCI 202 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Thoracic Duct, Autoimmune Disease, Antigen
7 Mar 2018
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Document Summary
The lymphatic system: consists of, lymphatic vessels, lymphoid tissues and organs, functions, transports escaped fluids back to the blood, plays essential roles in body defense and resistance to disease, roles in digestion. Developmental aspects: lymphoid organs are poorly developed before birth, except thymus and spleen, a new born has no functioning lymphocytes at birth, only passive immunity from the mother. If lymphatics are removed or lost, severe edema results: vessels may grow back in time. Primary lymphoid tissue: bone marrow, hematopoietic stem cells: precursor for all blood cells, leukocytes except t lymphocytes fully develop here, thymus, t lymphocytes migrate from bone marrow to thymus, develop maturity in thymus. Spleen: located on the left side of the abdomen: filters blood and destroys worn out blood cells, forms blood cells in fetus, acts as a blood reservoir. Thymus: located low in the throat, overlying the heart: functions at peak levels only during childhood, produces hormones to program lymphocytes.
