title: The fine structure and functioning of tissue channels and lymphatics.
abstract: The fine structures of the tissue channels and the lymphatics are described. The two systems form part of the whole blood vascular-tissue channel-lymphatic complex. The fine functioning of this is very dependent on the structures of its individual components. In brief, the tissue-lymphatic system is a leaky swamp through which material flows due to the vagaries of adjacent pressure changes. It enters the lymphatics via holes in their walls: it is retained in them when the holes are closed.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D004727:Endothelium / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006874:Hydrostatic Pressure; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008208:Lymphatic System / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051379:Mice; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D011312:Pressure; D051381:Rats; D013897:Thoracic Duct / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure