A clear, watery, sometimes faintly yellowish fluid derived from body tissues that
contains white blood cells and circulates throughout the lymphatic
system, returning to the venous bloodstream through the
thoracic duct. Lymph acts to
remove bacteria and certain proteins
from the tissues, transport fat from the small intestine, and supply mature lymphocytes
to the blood.
Excerpted from The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Third
Edition Copyright © 1992 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Electronic version
licensed from Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products N.V., further reproduction
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