Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
Curr Biol. 2021 Oct 25;31(20):R1371-R1375. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.08.026.
All biological processes including movement, digestion, and thought require energy, and the metabolic activity necessary to generate that energy also generates waste. Metabolic by-products, including a variety of proteins, accumulate in the tissue and can be harmful if not removed. Throughout the body, the lymphatic system is responsible for clearing metabolic waste from the tissue (Figure 1). An ultrafiltrate of blood plasma constantly enters the tissue from the microvasculature and percolates through the tissue before uptake by lymphatic capillaries. Once in these capillaries, a series of lymphatic vessels, pumps, and valves ensures directional fluid movement, ultimately draining the lymph containing waste products back into the venous circulatory system. The liver can be regarded as the ultimate recycling station in the body, where these waste products are either degraded or reused.
所有的生物过程，包括运动、消化和思考，都需要能量，而产生这些能量所需的代谢活动也会产生废物。代谢副产物，包括各种蛋白质，在组织中积累，如果不清除，就会造成伤害。在整个身体中，淋巴系统负责清除组织中的代谢废物（图 1）。血浆的超滤液不断从微血管进入组织，并在被淋巴毛细管吸收之前渗透过组织。一旦进入这些毛细管，一系列的淋巴管、泵和瓣膜确保了液体的定向流动，最终将含有废物的淋巴液引流回静脉循环系统。肝脏可以被视为身体的最终回收站，在这里，这些废物要么被降解，要么被再利用。
