Lymphatic system

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The lymphatic system works alongside our cardiovascular and immune systems to help our body maintain homeostasis. It has two important, yet different, roles. The first is to return interstitial fluid from our tissues back into the cardiovascular system. This is important for maintaining blood volume and cardiovascular function. The second role is to pass this fluid through lymphoid tissues and organs, where it can be filtered and presented to immune cells, thus defending the body against pathogens and disease.

Watch the following video to learn more about the lymphatic system, including the network of lymphatic vessels, lymphoid tissues and organs from which it is composed.

To improve your understanding of lymphatic system terminology, take a closer look at some commonly used roots, prefixes and suffixes related to the lymphatic system in the video below.

Now let's take an introductory look at the main lymph nodes of the human body.

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Download the following PDF worksheets and learn the parts of the lymphatic system.

BLANK WORKSHEET (PDF)LABELED WORKSHEET (PDF)

Browse atlas

Take a closer look at the structures of the lymphatic system in the gallery below.

Summary