Where does lymph come from and how it get into the lymphatic capillaries?

Where does lymph come from?

Lymph is a fluid that bathes the tissues and cells of the body. It is derived from blood plasma, which is the fluid component of blood. As blood flows through the capillaries, small molecules such as water, electrolytes, and proteins leak out of the capillaries and into the surrounding tissues. These molecules form interstitial fluid, which is the fluid that bathes the cells of the body. Lymph is then formed when interstitial fluid is collected into lymphatic capillaries.

How does lymph get into the lymphatic capillaries?

Lymph is forced into the lymphatic capillaries by the osmotic pressure of the blood plasma. Osmotic pressure is the pressure exerted by a solution due to the concentration of dissolved particles in the solution. The blood plasma has a higher concentration of dissolved particles than the interstitial fluid, so water molecules move from the interstitial fluid into the blood plasma by osmosis. This movement of water molecules creates a pressure that forces lymph into the lymphatic capillaries.

In addition to osmotic pressure, the contraction of skeletal muscles also helps to move lymph into the lymphatic capillaries. When skeletal muscles contract, they compress the lymphatic vessels, which forces lymph to move through the vessels.