Lymphatic load consists of

• A. Net ultrafiltrate, cells, protein and fat
• B. Blood plasma and red cells
• C. Interstitial water only
• D. Hormones and enzymes

Answer: (A)

Lymphatic load is the material carried by lymph as it drains from tissues. It comes from the net ultrafiltrate of plasma that enters lymphatic capillaries, so it includes interstitial fluid along with elements that leak into that fluid. It contains cells (mainly lymphocytes) and proteins, and from the digestive tract, fats are absorbed into the lymph, traveling as chyle. So the lymphatic load is made up of net ultrafiltrate, cells, protein and fat. This differs from blood plasma and red cells, which remain in the bloodstream; interstitial water only misses the protein and fat components; hormones and enzymes are not the defining constituents of lymph.