Are there white blood cells in lymphatic fluid and what is their purpose?
1 Answer
Yes, there are white blood cells in the lymphatic fluid.
Explanation:
They are specialized types of white blood cells called lymphocytes, and their primary function is to fight infection.
Lymph is a clear-to-white fluid that consists mainly of white blood cells, especially lymphocytes, and fluid absorbed from the intestines (chyle).
The lymphatic system includes the thymus, bone marrow, spleen, tonsils, and lymph nodes.
(From www.slideshare.net)
All lymphocytes derive from stem cells in the bone marrow.
Stem cells destined to become B lymphocytes remain in the bone marrow.
Others migrate to the thymus, where they mature into T cells.
Mature B and T lymphocytes travel to the lymph nodes, spleen, and tonsils.
When the lymphocytes detect foreign microorganisms, they produce antibodies to kill the invaders and stop infections from spreading.
