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Histology · Cardiovascular system

Lymphatic vessels !

  • Tissue

Lymphatic vessels collect the fluid that leaks out of capillaries and return it to the veins, passing it through lymph nodes on the way.

Updated 2026-11-01

See it in 3D: Thoracic duct

What it is

Lymphatic capillaries start blind in the tissues, with overlapping endothelial cells that act as one-way flaps. They join into collecting vessels with valves, then trunks, and finally the thoracic duct and the right lymphatic duct, which empty into the subclavian veins. Lymphatics return protein and fluid, absorb fat from the gut and carry antigens and cells to lymph nodes; when they fail, lymphedema follows.

Structure

  • Lymphatic endothelium: thin cells with loose junctions, few or no pericytes.
  • Anchoring filaments tie the endothelium to collagen and pull the capillary open when tissue fluid rises.
  • Large ducts have a wall like a small vein, with smooth muscle in the media.

Function

  • Return to the blood the fluid and protein filtered out of capillaries.
  • Carry dietary lipids from the gut (chyle).
  • Deliver antigens and dendritic cells to lymph nodes.

Markers

  • D2-40 (podoplanin)
  • PROX1
  • LYVE-1

Clinical notes

  • Secondary lymphedema after axillary node dissection or radiation for breast cancer.
  • Lymphatic filariasis (Wuchereria bancrofti) blocks lymphatics and causes elephantiasis; it persists in parts of the tropics.
  • Carcinomas spread first to the regional nodes; the sentinel node is the first one in the drainage chain.

Test yourself

Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.

How does a lymphatic capillary let fluid in but not out?

Its endothelial cells overlap like flaps that open when tissue pressure rises; anchoring filaments pull them open.

Where does the thoracic duct begin and end?

It begins at the cisterna chyli in the abdomen and empties into the venous angle at the left subclavian vein.

What immunohistochemical marker helps tell a lymphatic from a blood vessel?

D2-40 (podoplanin), along with PROX1 and LYVE-1, marks lymphatic endothelium.

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See it in 3D

The structures of Durgical's 3D anatomy where it is found.

Microorganisms

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Educational content on normal microscopic structure and its clinical relevance; no substitute for studying slides or for a health professional's advice.

Sources: 21.1 Anatomy of the Lymphatic and Immune Systems - Anatomy and Physiology 2e | OpenStax (OpenStax, Rice University, 2022); Lymphedema | MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2024).

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Representative model, for educational purposes only.