Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026
Blocking Lymph Flow by Suturing Afferent Lymphatic Vessels in Mice
Published on: May 14, 2020
THE FILTERING CAPACITY OF LYMPH NODES
C K Drinker1, M E Field, H K Ward
1Department of Physiology, The Harvard School of Public Health, and the Department of Bacteriology, The Harvard Medical School, Boston.
Abstract:
In anesthetized dogs the popliteal lymph node alone, and the popliteal and iliac lymph nodes in series, have been perfused with solutions containing dog erythrocytes and streptococci. The perfusions have been carried out under conditions of lymph flow and pressure within the limits of those occurring in the actively moving dog, or after a severe degree of inflammatory swelling has developed. Figures for filtration are given, with protocols of typical experiments. They indicate that normal lymph nodes possess a high degree of filtering efficiency-an efficiency so great as to make it fairly certain that in a part kept at rest early in an infection, practically no microorganisms would escape the nodes in the line of drainage.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Detailed Structure and Function of Lymph Nodes
From a histological perspective, lymph nodes can be split into two main areas: the superficial cortex and the deep medulla. The outer cortex is populated by dendritic cells, macrophages, and B lymphocytes, which are densely packed into follicles. When these B-lymphocytes are presented...
01:28Functions of the Lymphatic and Immune System
The primary lymphoid organs, including the bone marrow and the thymus, serve as the maturation sites for lymphocytes. Secondary lymphoid organs, like the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue, activate these lymphocytes and serve as...
01:16Lymphatic Vessels and Lymph Transport
This one-way system allows fluids, solutes, and even pathogens to enter but prevents their return to the intercellular spaces.
01:15Secondary Lymphoid Organs
The spleen is a vital organ in the lymphatic system, nestled in the upper left side of the abdomen. It is composed of two primary regions: the red pulp and the white pulp, each having distinct functions. The red pulp performs a significant role in blood filtration. It efficiently purges the blood of old or damaged red blood cells and...
01:18Lymphoid Cells and Tissues
Lymphoid cells consist of various types of immune system cells. These include B and T lymphocytes, which are responsible for producing antibodies and killing infected cells, respectively. Dendritic cells act as messengers between the innate and adaptive...
01:23Introduction to Lymphatic and Immune System
The immune responses can be categorized into two types: innate and adaptive. Innate immunity comprises nonspecific defenses we are born...