Lymph Vessels-Collector Lymph Vessels

Lymph vessel 1 remind of thin-walled veins. They are lined by an endothelium, which itself is covered by a delicate layer of connective tissue. There is no basal lamina. With in-creasing size, the vessel wall also contains smooth muscle cells (transport vessels). Lymph vessels are equipped with overlapping flap valves and intra-lymphatic funnel valves (lymphatic valve ) 2 . The freely moving valve flaps stream with the lymph fluid (b). In the direction of the lymph flow, there are the following segments: extravascular lymph vessels, lymph capillaries,  which usually form networks ( rete lymphocapillare), precollector lymph vessels (diameter ca. 10 0 μm), collector lymph vessels (diameter 150–60 0 μm), lymphatic trunk s and lymphatic ducts.

This specimen is from the splenic capsule of a bovine fetus.

1 Lymph vessels

2 Intralymphatic (funnel) valve

3 Lymphatic endothelial cells

Stain: alum hematoxylin-eosin; magnifications: a) × 120; b) × 240

References

Kuehnel, W.(2003). Color Atlas of Cytology, Histology, and Microscopic Anatomy. 4^th edition . Institute of Anatomy Universitätzu Luebeck Luebeck, Germany . Thieme Stuttgart · New York .