LE3 .A278 2005

2005

Toews, Dan

Acadia University

Bachelor of Science

Honours

Biology

Biology

Although much research has been done about many properties of the anuran lymphatic system, little is known about the diameter of the lymph vessel openings, lymph capillary pore size, and the speed of lymph flow. This study aims to determine lymph speed, the effects of lymph flow on particle movement and lymph and blood capillary pore permeability. Polystyrene divinyl benzene spheres (microspheres) were injected into the toads (Bufo marinus) through the blood and through the lymph sacs. Lymph was then collected from the cannulated lymph hearts and blood from the cannulated femoral artery. Both fluids were analyzed for their microsphere content using a hemocytometer. Results from this study indicate that increased lymph flow generally increases sphere return (in the body, this would be analogous to particle movement) and that the vast majority of spheres (>70%) were returned from the injection point at the crural lymph sac to the lymph heart within the first 30 min of the trial. It was also discovered that blood capillaries, lymph capillaries or both are impermeable to molecules 3.5μ in diameter or greater. It was also demonstrated that spheres injected in the lymph sacs were not replaced into the blood stream, showing that either the lymph heart cannulas were completely efficient in removing all lymph from the heart or that the pore leading out of the lymph heart is smaller than 3.5μ. This study contributes to the understanding of the lymphatic system of Bufo marinus and demonstrates how microspheres can be used to facilitate body fluid movement studies.

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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:459