11.1 – Introduction to the Lymphatic and Immune Systems
Learning Objectives
- Identify the anatomy and describe the main functions of lymphatic and immune systems
- Identify and describe the organization of the lymphatic system
- Analyze, translate, and define medical terms and common abbreviations of the lymphatic and immune systems
- Practice the spelling and pronunciation of lymphatic and immune system medical terminology medical terms of the lymphatic and immune systems
- Identify the medical specialties associated with lymphatic and immune systems and explore common diseases, disorders, diagnostic tests and procedures
Word Parts for the Lymphatic and Immune Systems
Click on prefixes, combining forms, and suffixes to reveal a list of word parts to memorize for the lymphatic and immune systems.
Prefix
- a- (no, not, negates meaning)
- an- (no, not, negates meaning)
Combining Form
- immun/o (immune, immunity)
- lymph/o (lymph, lymph tissue)
- lymphaden/o (lymph gland, lymph node)
- myel/o (bone marrow, spinal cord)
- splen/o (spleen)
- thym/o (thymus gland)
Suffix
- -cyte (cell)
- –ectomy (excision, cut out)
- -itis (inflammation)
- -logist (specialist, physician who studies and treats)
- -logy (study of)
- -megaly (enlarged, enlargement)
- -oid (resembling)
- -oma (tumor, swelling)
- -osis (abnormal condition)
- -pathy (disease)
- -rrhaphy (suturing)
Activity source: Lymphatic System Word Parts by Kimberlee Carter, from Building a Medical Terminology Foundation by Kimberlee Carter and Marie Rutherford, licensed under CC BY- 4.0. /Text version added.
Introduction to the Lymphatic and Immune Systems
The lymphatic system is a series of vessels, ducts, and trunks that remove interstitial fluid from the tissues and return it the blood. The lymphatic vessels are also used to transport dietary lipids and cells of the immune system. Cells of the immune system, lymphocytes, all come from the hematopoietic system of the bone marrow. Primary lymphoid organs, the bone marrow and thymus gland, are the locations where lymphocytes proliferate and mature. Secondary lymphoid organs are the site in which mature lymphocytes congregate to mount immune responses. Many immune system cells use the lymphatic and circulatory systems for transport throughout the body to search for and then protect against pathogens.
This chapter begins by describing the anatomy and physiology of the lymphatic system, whose immune functions lead us into a discussion of the body’s multifaceted defenses, which together make up the immune system. Since the lymphatic system shares organs with a number of other body systems, the pathology discussed near the end of this chapter mainly focuses on disorders of the immune system.
Watch Lymphatic System: Crash Course Anatomy & Physiology #44 (9 min) on YouTube
Media 11.1: CrashCourse. (2015, November 30). Lymphatic system: Crash Course anatomy & physiology #44 [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/I7orwMgTQ5I
Lymphatic and Immune Systems Medical Terms
Lymphatic System Medical Terms (Text Version)
Practice the following lymphatic system words by breaking into word parts and pronouncing.
- autoimmune disease (aut/o/immun/e disease)
- A disease caused by the inability for the body to distinguish its own (self) cells from foreign substances, producing antibodies that attacks its own tissues
- immune (immun/e)
- Resistant to specific pathogens
- immunodeficiency (immun/o/deficiency)
- deficient immune response cause by the immune system dysfunction
- Immunologist (Immun/o/logist)
- specialist who studies and treats immune system disorders
- immunology (immun/o/logy)
- study of disorders of the immune system
- phagocytosis (phag/o/cyt/osis)
- Process where some white blood cells engulf invading microorganisms
Activity source: “Lymphatic System Medical Terms” by Kimberlee Carter, from Building a Medical Terminology Foundation by Kimberlee Carter and Marie Rutherford, licensed under CC BY- 4.0. / Text version added.
Attribution
Except where otherwise noted, this chapter is adapted from “Lymphatic and Immune Systems” in Building a Medical Terminology Foundation by Kimberlee Carter and Marie Rutherford, licensed under CC BY 4.0. / A derivative of Betts et al., which can be accessed for free from Anatomy and Physiology (OpenStax). Adaptations: dividing Lymphatic and Immune Systems chapter content into sub-chapters.