• Question: What is the main purpose of lymph nodes?

    Asked by xheneta1 to Dilwar, Lou, Rachel, Simon, Susan on 18 Nov 2013.
    • Photo: Louise Brown

      Louise Brown answered on 18 Nov 2013:

      The lymph system is a bit like the blood stream, but it carries lymph fluid instead of blood. Lymph nodes are positioned all along the lymph system, and these filter the lymph fluid to fight infection! Lymph nodes contain our immune cells (called lymphocytes). These make antibodies that fight infection!

    • Photo: Simon Langley-Evans

      Simon Langley-Evans answered on 18 Nov 2013:

      The lymph nodes are widespread through the body and are places where the lymph is filtered to remove infection. The. Look gets filtered by the kidneys and the lymph is filtered by the nodes.

      Our lymph nodes often swell when we are ill because they also act like a training school for white blood cells. The cells that kill bacteria and viruses accumulate at the nodes during an infection because we multiply up the ones that we need to beat the bugs.

    • Photo: Susan Skelton

      Susan Skelton answered on 19 Nov 2013:

      Lymph nodes are like filters that remove germs from the body that could harm you. They contain lymphocytes, which are a special type of cells that fight infection. Sometimes, germs can cause some of the lymph nodes to swell, so you might feel your swollen lymph nodes on your neck when you have a sore throat. That means your body is cleaning up its act!

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