The
subcapsular sinus (
lymph path,
lymph sinus,
marginal sinus) is a region within the
lymph nodeA lymph node is an organ consisting of many types of cells, and is a part of the lymphatic system. Lymph nodes are found all through the body, and act as filters or traps for foreign particles. They contain white blood cells that use oxygen to process. Thus they are important in the proper...
immediately deep to the capsule that contains relatively sparse
lymphocyteA lymphocyte is a type of white blood cell in the vertebrate immune system.By their appearance under the light microscope, there are two broad categories of lymphocytes, namely the large granular lymphocytes and the small lymphocytes. Functionally distinct subsets of lymphocytes correlate with...
s. It thus allows
lymphLymph is the interstitial fluid found between the cells of the human body. It enters the lymph vessels by filtration through pores in the walls of capillaries...
to flow freely through it.
The lymph node contains lymphoid tissue, i.e., a meshwork or fibers called
reticulum with
white blood cellWhite blood cells , or leukocytes , are cells of the immune system defending the body against both infectious disease and foreign materials. Five different and diverse types of leukocytes exist, but they are all produced and derived from a multipotent cell in the bone marrow known as a...
s enmeshed in it. The regions where there are few cells within the meshwork are known
lymph sinus.
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The
subcapsular sinus (
lymph path,
lymph sinus,
marginal sinus) is a region within the
lymph nodeA lymph node is an organ consisting of many types of cells, and is a part of the lymphatic system. Lymph nodes are found all through the body, and act as filters or traps for foreign particles. They contain white blood cells that use oxygen to process. Thus they are important in the proper...
immediately deep to the capsule that contains relatively sparse
lymphocyteA lymphocyte is a type of white blood cell in the vertebrate immune system.By their appearance under the light microscope, there are two broad categories of lymphocytes, namely the large granular lymphocytes and the small lymphocytes. Functionally distinct subsets of lymphocytes correlate with...
s. It thus allows
lymphLymph is the interstitial fluid found between the cells of the human body. It enters the lymph vessels by filtration through pores in the walls of capillaries...
to flow freely through it.
The lymph node contains lymphoid tissue, i.e., a meshwork or fibers called
reticulum with
white blood cellWhite blood cells , or leukocytes , are cells of the immune system defending the body against both infectious disease and foreign materials. Five different and diverse types of leukocytes exist, but they are all produced and derived from a multipotent cell in the bone marrow known as a...
s enmeshed in it. The regions where there are few cells within the meshwork are known
lymph sinus. It is lined by reticular cells,
fibroblastA fibroblast is a type of cell that synthesizes the extracellular matrix and collagen, the structural framework for animal tissues, and plays a critical role in wound healing...
s and fixed
macrophageMacrophages are white blood cells within tissues, produced by the division of monocytes. Human macrophages are about in diameter...
s.
Thus, subcapsular (
sub=below) sinus lies immediately deep to the capsule of the lymph node and immediately above the cortex. It is continuous with the similar lymph sinuses that flank the trabeculae (the extensions of capsule within the substance of the lymph node).
The subcapsular sinus is of clinical importance as it is the most likely location where the earliest manifestations of a metastatic carcinoma in a lymph node would be found.
External links
- "Lymphoid Tissues and Organs: lymph node, afferent arterioles"