Introduction to the Lymphatic and Immune Systems

The lymphatic system is a network of organs, lymph nodes, lymph ducts, and lymph vessels that produce and transport lymph from tissue spaces to the bloodstream. The lymphatic system is a major part of the body’s immune system.^[1]

This chapter will review common word components related to the lymphatic and immune systems to assist learners in analyzing, building, and defining medical terms. Other terms, whose definitions cannot be easily built from word components, will be described in context based on the anatomy and physiology of the lymphatic and immune systems and common diseases and disorders. Because the lymphatic system shares organs with a number of other body systems, the disorders discussed near the end of this chapter mainly focus on disorders of the immune system. Medical specialists, diagnostic tests, and procedures related to the lymphatic and immune systems will also be discussed.