intestines and the lymphatic system

taken from the book, the human body :)
(you know, the ones for kids!)



"the intestines"

the small intestine has three main sections. The duodenum is about 12 inches long. The name actually means "!2 each". The jejunum is about 6.5 ft; the ileum is over 9.8 ft. 
The linings of the last two are folded, with a velvety texture made by millions of villi, finger shaped structures less than a millimeter long. These provide a huge surface area for absorbing nutrients into the blood and lymph fluid in the intestinal wall. The large intestine consists of the cecum, appendix, colon, and the rectum to store stools.

"the lymphatic system"

lymph is a milky liquid that begins as watery fluids that have collected in spaces around cells and watery fluids that have leaked from small blood vessels. These fluids channel slowly into a body wide system of veinlike tubes, with one way valves. Lymph has several jobs: it collects wastes from cell activity; it distributes nutrients, especially fats; it also carries white blood cells around the body in the fight against infection. 

lymph nodes

lymph vessels widen at intervals to form lymph nodes, which vary from the size of grape seeds to larger than whole grapes. the nodes clean and filter the lymph and store germ fighting white blood cells. in several body regions, nodes are clustered together, as shown here in the armpit. these nodes are so called "glands" that swell up and become hard during illness, because they contain millions of white blood cells and dead germs.

spleen makes white blood cells.


good to know :)

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