Understanding Lymph: Composition, Function & System Overview

The lymph system transports lymph fluid from the body̵7;s tissues into the blood. The system consists of lymphatic organs, nodes, ducts and vessels. Lymph fluid acts as a transportation agent and lubricant for the lymph system.

Composition

• Lymph contains an intestinal fluid called chyle and a collection of white blood cells primarily consisting of lymphocytes.

Chyle

• Chyle formation occurs in the intestine during digestion of fats. The resulting milky fluid contains rich levels of fat and proteins.

Lymphocytes

• Lymphocytes make up a quarter of the body̵7;s white blood cells. Types include B cells and T cells which, respectively, function in humoral and cellular immunity. Lymphocytes exist in the blood, lymph fluid and lymph tissues.

Lymph Nodes

• Small nodules called lymph nodes cluster throughout the body. The lymph nodes help fight off infection with the production of immune cells.

Filtering Lymph Fluid

• The nodes filter lymph for bacteria and abnormal cells. Lymph nodes swell when they go into white blood cell production overdrive to clean contaminated lymph fluid.