Lymph node structure diagram

Lymph node is small, oval or bean-shaped body. It is a collection of lymphoid tissue enclosed in a connective tis­sue capsule and lying along the lymphatic stream. From the capsule, strands of tissue pass into the substance of the node and are known as the connective tissue trabeculae. In the human lymphatic nodes the trabeculae are ill-de­fined.
Lymph nodes are important structures of the lymphatic system of the thorax and abdomen. They are small, oval or kidney-shaped encapsulated centres of antigen presentation and lymphocyte activation, differentiation and proliferation. They vary in size from 0.1 to 2.5 cm in length.
The lymphoide tissues in the nodes break down materials which have been filtered off such as microorganisms, tumor cells and cells damaged by inflammation. Lymphocyte develops from the reticular and lymphoid tissue in the nodes. Antibodies and antitoxins are also formed by the cells of lymph nodes.