Is the lymphatic system closed or opened?

Abstract

The question of the way the interstitial fluid gets into the intraorganic lymphatic flow has been under discussion until this day. International literature has been frequently raising a polemic debate on the presence of direct links between the interstitial fluid channels and the lymph capillaries as well as on the availability of lymph capillaries connecting the interstitium with the lymphatic system. In Russian scientific literature, all attempts by various authors to resort to Recklinghausen's lymph juice-canals, hypothesis have been judged critically. However, the problem of intratissue pre - lymphatic channels to this day has not been finally solved or refuted. The aim of the research is to establish some structured channels flowing into lymphatic microvessels and opening into the interstice. The research was conducted on cats (n=3) and dogs (n=3). The interstitium was got by split by separate the sub - mucous layer, the mucous tunic and the muscular and serous tunics. Fixed in methanol - free neutral 10% formalin, whole preparates were impregnated with silver salts. The research has established structured open tubular channels connecting lymphatic micro vessels with the interstice.