Mucocutaneous lymph nodesyndrome Health Dictionary

Pertaining to the lymph system or lymph tissue, the “back alley” of blood circulation. Lymph is the alkaline, clear intercellular fluid that drains from the blood capillaries, where the arterial blood separates into thick, gooey venous blood and lymph. It bathes the cells, drains up into the lymph capillaries, through the lymph nodes for cleaning and checking against antibody templates, up through the body, and back to recombine with the venous blood in the upper chest. Blood in the veins is thick, mainly because part of its fluid is missing, traveling through the tissues as lymph. Lymph nodes in the small intestine absorb most of the dietary fats as well-organized chylomicrons. Lymph nodes and tissue in the spleen, thymus, and tonsils also organize lymphocytes and maintain the software memory of previously encountered antigens and their antibody defense response. Blood feeds the lymph, lymph feeds the cells, lymph cleanses the cells and returns to the blood.... lymph

The central drainage and metabolic organs strung along the lymph vessels. The mesenchymal structure is native, being present at birth. The functional cells have all migrated there, some recently from the marrow, spleen, thymus or blood, others have resided since a few months after birth. Much of the antibody memory is stored in these nodes, and having only venous blood supply, lymph nodes are constantly shunting metabolized substances back into the blood, so the final lymph drainage from the thoracic duct into the left subclavian vein (or the right subclavian) contains fluid already screened and cleansed by many nodes.... lymph nodes

A small organ lying along the course of a lymphatic vessel (see lymphatic system); commonly but incorrectly called a lymph gland. Lymph nodes vary considerably in size, from microscopic to about 2.5 cm (1 in) in diameter.

A lymph node consists of a thin, fibrous outer capsule and an inner mass of lymphoid tissue. Penetrating the capsule are several small lymphatic vessels (whichcarry lymph into the node). Each node contains sinuses (spaces), in which the lymph is filtered. The flow of the lymph slows as it moves through narrow channels in the sinuses; this reduction in flow allows macrophages (white blood cells that engulf and destroy foreign and dead material) time to filter microorganisms from the lymph. Germinal centres in the lymph node release white blood cells called lymphocytes, which also help to fight infection. A single, larger vessel carries lymph out of the node.... lymph node

Traps in the lymphatic system that collect byproducts of body infection and which support the immune system in its role as body protector. ... lymph glands

A popular name for a lymph node.

(See also lymphatic system.)... lymph gland

a transparent yellowish liquid produced in a wound or other site of inflammation, in which connective tissue cells and blood vessels develop during healing.... plastic lymph

the first lymph node to show evidence of metastasis (spread) of a malignant tumour (e.g. breast cancer) via the lymphatic system. Absence of cancer cells in the sentinel node indicates that more distal lymph nodes will also be free of metastasis. In breast cancer, the change in practice to perform axillary lymph node dissection only if the sentinel node contains metastatic tumour has reduced the risk of arm lymphoedema. Similarly, in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas, the sentinel lymph node procedure is used as an alternative to neck dissection.... sentinel lymph node