Functions of Lymph Nodes
Lymph nodes, as constituents of the body’s lymphatic system, work as filters in the body. What lymph nodes trap or filter are foreign objects that may damage the body. Lymph nodes protect the body from foreign particles. These body filters also hold white blood cells.
Lymph nodes look like beans stuck in different areas of the body. When a lymph node is at a normal state, it is about one to two millimeters in size. When a tumor occurs, the lymph node becomes bigger. The size enlargement is because of the tumor or due to an infection.
The main function of lymph nodes, as suggested by the definition, is to filter. What lymph nodes filter are not just any foreign particles getting inside the body. Lymph nodes filter what, to the body, are cancerous particles. This goes to show that lymph nodes are not just body filters. They also protect the body from cancer.
Lymph nodes also have the ability to attack and destroy the collected viruses and bacteria. The main component of a lymph node that actually does the collecting and destroying of viruses and bacteria is a lymphocyte. A lymphocyte is located in the vertebrate immune system that is also a kind of white blood cell.
There are many times when the body has to battle against viruses and bacteria to fight disease. The lymphocytes in lymph nodes are the ones that fight the foreign or unwanted particles. The lymphocytes also reproduce in a very rapid manner to continuously supply components to fight foreign particles. As the lymphocytes rapidly multiply and the fighting and filtering becomes more intense, the lymph nodes begin to swell. This is why when the lymph nodes are already swelling, it means that there are a lot of bacteria or viruses that are being destroyed or trapped.