
Lymphatic system primer
Lymphatic system primer
Lymph Nodes
- Lymph nodes are found throughout the body and are located on the lymphatic vessels at various intervals along the lymphatic routes.
- During the process of circulating through the lymphatic system, lymph fluid accumulates antigens and other biomolecules captured from the tissues.
- This fluid then drains into the lymph nodes, where it encounters T cells and B cells congregate together with Antigen Presenting Cells (APCs).
Antigen Presenting Cells (APCs)
- APCs and certain other immune cells contained in the lymph nodes function to constantly sample the lymph fluid searching for signs of potential threats within the body.
- APCs serve as sentinels to orient the cells of the adaptive immune response to develop a properly targeted and functional protective response by presenting these cues to B cells, T cells, and other lymphocytes within the lymph nodes.
B Cells and T Cells
- The activation of B cells and T cells with proper specificity and functionality marks the genesis of the adaptive immune response whereby numerous disease-specific and functionally-matured lymphocytes are expanded and deployed.
- After sufficient interaction with APCs within the lymph nodes, these activated B cells and T cells exit the lymph nodes and eventually enter the bloodstream, which distributes them throughout the body to accumulate at disease sites.
- Critically, signaling delivered between immune cells residing in the lymph nodes orchestrates the immune response to determine the magnitude, potency, persistence, functionality, specificity, and memory capacity of the developing response.