Components of the Immune System: Lymph Nodes

A previous article entitled, “Components of the Immune System,” listed of all the body parts involved in immune system functions. The Lymph Nodes are a combination of tiny organs located throughout the body designed to filter out foreign particles. Lymph Nodes are critical to the immune system because they contain white blood cells that are able to fight infection.

Lymph Nodes in humans are the shape of a bean and range in size from a few millimeters to 1-2 centimeters. When Lymph Nodes are infected, they often become enlarged. This condition is commonly referred to as “swollen glands” and is often experienced with a sore throat. In more serious cases, swollen lymph nodes can be a sign of cancerous tumors. The condition of the lymph nodes in cancer patients is often used for “cancer staging”: a way to decide which treatments should be used and determining the prognosis. In order to make swelling of the lymph nodes go down, one must fix the infection that is causing the swelling. Bacterial infections may require antibiotics, while a viral infection will usually go away by itself. However, if any lymph nodes remain enlarged for more than a month, it is important to see a doctor.

Humans have approximately 500-600 lymph nodes distributed throughout the body, with clusters found in the underarms, groin, neck, chest, and abdomen.