The simulation traces interstitial fluid entering lymphatic capillaries and moving through one-way valves under skeletal-muscle pumping, then shows how blocking a lymph node causes fluid to back up and swelling to develop downstream.
Use the muscle-pump activity slider to drive fluid flow through the vessel network, then click a lymph node to block it and watch swelling accumulate in the downstream tissue region over time.
Muscle-pump activity slider and a clickable lymph node blockage toggle
The human body recycles roughly two to three liters of leaked plasma fluid and protein back into the bloodstream every day, entirely through the low-pressure lymphatic network.
The simulation traces interstitial fluid entering lymphatic capillaries and moving through one-way valves under skeletal-muscle pumping, then shows how blocking a lymph node causes fluid to back up and swelling to develop downstream.
The simulation traces interstitial fluid entering lymphatic capillaries and moving through one-way valves under skeletal-muscle pumping, then shows how blocking a lymph node causes fluid to back up and swelling to develop downstream.
Use the muscle-pump activity slider to drive fluid flow through the vessel network, then click a lymph node to block it and watch swelling accumulate in the downstream tissue region over time.
The human body recycles roughly two to three liters of leaked plasma fluid and protein back into the bloodstream every day, entirely through the low-pressure lymphatic network.