Immunity Overview

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Immunity Overview Objectives

List various blood cells involved in immunity and their roles, including basophils and eosinophils.
Describe the lymphatic system, including what lymph is and how it travels through the body.
List the basic functions of the spleen.

In the previous guide, we walked through two non-specific innate defenses and two specific acquired defenses. We will start by reviewing those before talking about disorders.

The lymphatic system moves lymph, extracellular fluid, back towards the heart, passing through lymph nodes that can filter out pathogens.

Lymph nodes include pockets of lymphocytes that can fight pathogens.

Tonsils have immune function and contain lymphatic tissue that is similar to lymph nodes.

Many people have heard of the spleen, but few can say what it does. The spleen is part lymphatic and part cardiovascular, with roles in controlling red blood cells and antibodies.

The spleen has structural similarities to the lymph nodes and tonsils shown in the previous videos.

The next section introduces common immune disorders.

Check your knowledge. Can you:

list various blood cells involved in immunity and their roles, including basophils and eosinophils?
describe the lymphatic system, including what lymph is and how it travels through the body?
list the basic functions of the spleen?