Blood is the type of connective tissue found in our body and plays a significant role in transporting various substances to different parts of the body. Lymph is the white colour fluid tissue, made up of white blood cells and lymphocytes and plays a significant role in carrying the white blood cells to and from the bones and lymph nodes.
Secondly, Blood plays a leading role in carrying oxygen and carbon dioxide. At the same time, Lymph is a part of the body’s immune system works in defence mechanism by checking the entry of foreign particles.
Blood and lymph are the parts of the circulatory and lymphatic systems respectively. Most importantly, blood flows through the blood vessels and lymph flow through the lymphatic vessels.
The fluids present in our body are of two types mainly: The Intracellular fluid and the Extracellular fluid. Blood and lymph are part of extracellular fluid.
The extracellular fluid is the body fluid that is not present in the cells, instead found in lymph and blood, body and muscular tissues and body cavities and channels of spinal cord and brains. It has high sodium concentration and low potassium concertation, which is just opposite to the intracellular fluid (the fluid present within the cells).
In this article, we will be going through the points on which the two terms ‘blood and lymph’ differ, and we will also go through the roles performed by them in our body.
Content: Blood Vs Lymph
Comparison Chart
| Basis For Comparison | Blood | Lymph |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Blood is the part of the circulatory system, that plays the main role in carrying oxygen, carbon dioxide and other nutrients to different parts of the body. | Lymph being the part of the lymphatic system is made up of lymphocyte and white blood cells, that helps in eradication of interstitial-fluid and fight against the disease-causing agent. |
| Colour | Blood is the red colour fluid due to the presence of the RBC. | Lymph is the colourless fluid due to the absence of RBC. |
| Function | It circulates through veins, hearts and arteries. | Lymph circulates through lymph vessels, lymph nodes, and lymph capillaries. |
| It maintains body temperature and pH. | Lymph stores lymphocytes, and transports fat and fat-soluble vitamins. | |
| Blood carries more Oxygen and digested food. | Lymph also checks and filter the foreign particles and bacteria, so it is the part of the defense mechanism of the body. | |
| Other Features | Blood falls under the circulatory system. | Lymph falls under the lymphatic system. |
| Blood contains WBC's, RBC's, plasma and platelets. | Lymph contains plasma and WBC's. | |
| Blood has high protein concentration (diffusible and non-diffusible) like globulin, albumin, fibrinogen and nutrients. | Lymph has low protein concentration that is diffusible and nutrients. | |
| Blood contains red blood cell. | There are no red blood cells in the lymph. | |
| As blood has a high amount of fibrinogen, it clots easily. | Lymph has less amount of fibrinogen, and so it clots slowly. | |
| The flow of blood in the vessels is fast and in a circular motion. | The lymph has unidirectional movement, which is slow. |
Definition of Blood
The fluid present in the body that mainly carry oxygen and nutrients to different parts of the body it also takes away the carbon dioxide and other waste materials. Technically, a liquid which is pumped by the heart and is transported to all the parts of the body and again it gets returned to the heart to repeat the process.
Blood is a tissue as well as the fluid, as a tissue, it is a compilation of various similar cells that play their specific roles. If these group of cells are dispersed in the liquid medium (plasma), it makes the blood as a fluid.
Flowing of blood is a continuous process, and if gets ceases, it will result in death within minutes. The reason would be the unfavourable condition faced by susceptible cells. The vessels that carry the blood are known as arteries and veins, along with that they carry the respiratory gases and other nutrients.
Blood is opaque fluid and red, free-flowing, though denser and viscous than water. The components of blood are haemoglobin, RBC, WBC and plasma. It has 45% of blood cells and the remaining 55% of plasma. With the variation in age, body weight, gender and body type, the amount of blood may also vary, though roughly it is estimated in adult to 60 millilitres per kilogram of the body weight.
Functions of Blood
1. Blood carry oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from different parts of the body.
2. The blood maintains the body’s temperature.
3. It also transfers nutrients, enzymes, hormones and other molecules to the cells and other parts.
4. It regulates the body’s pH by checking the balance of acid and base.
5. As blood contains fibrinogen, so excessive blood loss is prevented by clotting.
6. It removes metabolic waste like lactic acid, urea and CO2.
Definition of Lymph
The network of tissues and organs that help the body to get away from toxins, harmful pathogens, and waste materials is known as the lymphatic system. The essential function of the lymphatic system is to send the fluid ‘lymph’ that contains the white blood cells and have the potential to fight against infection, throughout the body.
Likewise, the circulatory systems: arteries and veins, the lymphatic system also has the lymphatic vessels that are responsible for carrying the lymph. The lymph is filtered through the lymph nodes, which are connected by the vessels. The spleen, thymus, adenoids, and tonsils are all parts of the lymphatic system.
Functions of Lymph
1. It is the part of the body’s defence mechanism and thus checks the foreign particles and other harmful microorganisms.
2. Lymph supplies nutrients to the different part of the body.
3. It also helps in removing metabolic wastes from the cells.
Key Differences Between Blood and Lymph
Given below are the critical points to know the main differences between Blood and Lymph:
- Blood is the part of the circulatory system, that plays the main role in carrying oxygen, carbon dioxide and other nutrients to different parts of the body, while lymph being the part of the lymphatic system, is made up of lymphocyte and white blood cells, that helps in eradication of interstitial-fluid and fight against the disease-causing agent.
- Blood is the red colour fluid due to the presence of the RBC and haemoglobin, while lymph is the colourless fluid due to the absence of RBC.
- The blood circulates through veins, hearts and arteries, maintains the body temperature and pH, it also carries more O2 and digested food. On the other hand, Lymph circulates through lymph vessels, lymph nodes, and lymph capillaries, it stores lymphocytes, and transports fat and fat-soluble vitamins; Lymph also checks and filter the foreign particles and bacteria, so it is the part of the defence mechanism of the body.
- Blood falls under circulatory system while Lymph falls under the lymphatic system.
- Blood contains WBC’S, RBC’S, plasma and platelets and Lymph contains plasma and WBC’s.
- Blood has high protein concentration (diffusible and non-diffusible) like globulin, albumin, fibrinogen and nutrients, whereas lymph has low protein concentration that is diffusible and nutrients.
- Blood clots easily than lymph as it (blood) has a high amount of fibrinogen.
- The flow of blood in the vessels is fast and in a circular motion, but in the case of lymph, the flow is unidirectional movement and slow.
Similarities
- Blood and lymph are the types of fluid present in our body.
- Both components work for the immune system of the body.
- The network of capillaries connects blood and lymph.
Conclusion
In this write-up, we got to know the differences between the two extracellular fluids present in our body ‘ blood and lymph’. We also observe their critical functions which make them an essential part of our body.
These fluids percentage should also be maintained in the body, as they boost up the immune response, which supports in fighting against various disease-causing agents and multiple infections. So, for this, one needs to eat, stay and think healthy and should do regular exercises, mentally as well as physically.
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