The lymphatic system Like the blood system, the lymphatic system is essential for the body to function properly. It is made up of specific organs and a large network of lymphatic vessels, in which the lymph circulates. This liquid ensures in particular the circulation of lymphocytes known for their role in the immune system.

The lymphatic system combines two concepts:

on the one hand a one-way network of lymphatic vessels (known as the lymphatic network), whose vessels arise in the different tissues of the body to join the ganglia, which allow the circulation and cleaning of the lymph and to a certain extent clearance of insoluble particles; on the other hand all the organs where there are large quantities of white blood cells: lymph nodes, lymphoid tissues associated with mucous membranes (MALT), bone marrow, as well as organs such as the spleen and thymus. These tissues are part of lymphoid tissue with the exception of the bone marrow [ref. necessary]. It had been observed1 from the beginning of the nineteenth century that the morphology and the carrying capacity of the lymphatic vessels vary considerably according to the organs (eg: conjunctiva1, scrotum1, salivary glands).

The lymphatic network drains most of the organs, including the lungs and the intestine: a “dead end” lymphatic capillary called “central chyliferous” is present within each intestinal villi of the small intestine. The circulation of cells in the small intestine is anastomosed to the lymphatic network which drains into the lymphoid follicles (an important part of the immune system) of the digestive tract.