Lymphatic and Immune System

What this page covers

The resources here deal with the tissues and organs of the lymphatic and immune system. Many items ask about the thymus, lymph nodes, the spleen and the cells that work inside them. Some are quizzes built around slides and photomicrographs. Others are flashcards or mind maps for quick recall.

Where to start

Begin with the Lymphoid quiz. It asks you to fill in the primary lymphoid organs (bone marrow and thymus) and the secondary ones (lymph nodes, spleen and more). That gives you the basic map of the system.

Next, read the mind map 4.Lymphoid system. It sets out why lymphoid tissue matters, how it is classified into central and peripheral tissue, and the thymus as an immunological education center.

Suggested order

1. Take the Lymphoid quiz to check the basics.
2. Read 4.Lymphoid system to organize what you know.
3. Try HistoLymph for harder questions, such as secondary nodules and high endothelial venules in lymph nodes.
4. Use the Lymphatic Immune System MCQ deck for quick true or false practice, for example on the stroma of the thymus and the haemo-thymic barrier.
5. Finish with Histology Block 4, which includes antigen presentation and Peyer's patches.

Using quizzes and maps together

Take a quiz first and note which questions you missed. Then find the same topic on a mind map and read that branch again. Return to the quiz later and see whether the answer comes more easily. Flashcard decks such as Thymus and Lymphoid Organs are handy for short sessions between lectures.

Teachers can use the slide-based quizzes, such as Lymphatic Histology Slides, as ready-made material for a class or lab.

Where it fits

This unit sits in the strand Circulatory and Immune Systems, within the subject Histology and embryology. Pick one resource that matches what you are studying this week and work through it.