THE ANATOMY OF LYMPH VESSELS IN RELATION TO FUNCTION

Abstract

The essential functions of the lymphatic system
are to pick up large molecules, particles
and excess fluid and to transport them from
the peripheral connective tissue to the venous
system. Within normal tissue most of the
lymphatics are collapsed, (Fig. 1a). They can,
therefore, hardly be differentiated light microscopically
from blood capillaries or from
septal connective tissue. Various techniques
have been used to visualize the lymph vessels
within organs and extremities. Retrograde injection
of air, indian ink, different proteins
and dyes, silver nitrate, mercury, ferritin,
acrylic resins etc., often lead to ruptures of
the thinwalled and vulnerable lymphatics,
there by causing interstitial dye extravasates
to be falsely interpreted as lymphatics (Wutzer
1834, Most 1908, Bartels 1909, Baum 1928,
Grau 1943, Jancso et al. 1952, Mori 1963,
Mori et al. 1964, Leak and Burke 1966,
Viragh et al. 1966, Bergstrom and Werner
1966, Kuprianov 1969, Casley-Smith 1969,
Gerteis 1972). Injection of lymph-specific
dyes such as patent blue as well as different
tracer techniques demonstrate sectoral lymph                                                  vascular branches but never the complete
lymph drainage of tissue or organs. Application
of hydrogen peroxide demonstrates the lymph
vessels below mesothelial surfaces; total
lymphangiography of an organ was not possible
with this method (Magnus 1922, 1923,
Hass 1936, Johnson and Blake 1966; Johnson 1969).