Comparison of fluid transport systems in lymphatics and veins.

In the anesthetized sheep, pressure pulses generated in the feet are transmitted downstream in the veins but not in the lymphatics at normal intralymphatic pressure. When the sheep is tilted on a tilt table, gravitational changes occur in venous pressure but not in the pressure in adjacent lymphatics. These results suggest that in limb lymphatics, unlike limb veins, the column of fluid is incomplete. This makes extrinsic pumping less effective for propelling fluid in lymphatics than in veins. At normal intralymphatic pressures, intrinsic pumping seems to be mainly responsible for lymph propulsion. The incompleteness of the fluid column in lymphatics might also protect these vessels against the hydrostatic problems experienced by veins during gravitational stress.