Lymph

Lymph is clear fluid that circulates through lymphatic vessels, carrying immune cells, proteins, and other substances from tissues toward the bloodstream.

Interstitial fluid: Fluid occupying the spaces between cells in tissues. Lymph forms when interstitial fluid enters lymphatic capillaries.
Lymphocyte: A white blood cell involved in adaptive or innate immune responses. Lymph carries lymphocytes between tissues, lymph nodes, and blood.
Adaptive immunity: An immune response that uses antigen-specific lymphocytes and develops immunological memory. Lymph transports lymphocytes and antigens that meet during adaptive immune responses.
Lymphatic filariasis: A parasitic disease that damages lymphatic vessels and can cause severe chronic swelling. The infection shows how disrupting lymph flow can produce lasting tissue changes.
Lymphatic capillary: A blind-ended microscopic vessel that absorbs interstitial fluid into the lymphatic system. Its overlapping endothelial cells admit tissue fluid to become lymph.
Lymphatic system: A network of vessels, tissues, and organs that returns tissue fluid and supports immunity. Lymph is the circulating fluid of this body-wide network.
Antigen presentation: The display of antigen fragments on cell-surface molecules for recognition by lymphocytes. Dendritic cells carry tissue antigens in lymph to lymph nodes for presentation.
Sentinel lymph node: The first lymph node or group of nodes receiving drainage from a tumor site. Tracing lymph flow identifies nodes most likely to receive metastatic cells.
Lymphatic vessel: A vessel that transports lymph through the lymphatic system toward the bloodstream. These vessels carry lymph from tissues through lymph nodes and onward.
Plasma: The liquid component of blood, containing water, proteins, electrolytes, nutrients, and other dissolved substances. Lymph resembles plasma but typically contains less protein and no red blood cells.

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