biology

List of lymph nodes of the human body

List of lymph nodes of the human body is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand List of lymph nodes of the human body rather than just read about it. In short: Humans have approximately 500–600 lymph nodes distributed throughout the body, with clusters found in the underarms, groin, neck, chest, and abdomen. Lymph nodes of the head Occipital lymph nodes Mastoid lymph nodes Parotid lymph nodes Lymph nodes of the neck Cervical lymph nodes Submental lymph nodes Submandibular lymph nodes Deep cervical lymph nodes Deep anterior cervical lymph nodes Deep lateral cervical lymph n…

Key takeaways

List of lymph nodes of the human body belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect List of lymph nodes of the human body to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of List of lymph nodes of the human body from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Humans have approximately 500–600 lymph nodes distributed throughout the body, with clusters found in the underarms, groin, neck, chest, and abdomen.

Lymph nodes of the head Occipital lymph nodes Mastoid lymph nodes Parotid lymph nodes

Lymph nodes of the neck Cervical lymph nodes Submental lymph nodes Submandibular lymph nodes Deep cervical lymph nodes Deep anterior cervical lymph nodes Deep lateral cervical lymph nodes Inferior deep cervical lymph nodes Jugulo-omohyoid lymph node Jugulodigastric lymph node Supraclavicular lymph nodes Virchow's node

Lymph nodes of the thorax Lymph nodes of the lungs: The lymph is drained from the lung tissue through subsegmental, segmental, lobar and interlobar lymph nodes to the hilar lymph nodes, which are located around the hilum (the pedicle, which attaches the lung to the mediastinal structures, containing the pulmonary artery, the pulmonary veins, the main bronchus for each side, some vegetative nerves and the lymphatics) of each lung. The lymph flows subsequently to the mediastinal lymph nodes. Mediastinal lymph nodes: They consist of several lymph node groups, especially along the trachea (5 groups), along the esophagus and between the lung and the diaphragm. In the mediastinal lymph nodes arises lymphatic ducts, which drains the lymph to the left subclavian vein (to the venous angle in the confluence of the subclavian and deep jugular veins). The mediastinal lymph nodes along the esophagus are in tight connection with the abdominal lymph nodes along the esophagus and the stomach. That fact facilitates spreading of tumor cells through these lymphatics in cases of cancers of the stomach and particularly of the esophagus. Through the mediastinum, the main lymphatic drainage from the abdominal organs goes via the thoracic duct (ductus thoracicus), which drains majority of the lymph from the abdomen to the above-mentioned left venous angle.

Lymph nodes of the abdomen These include:

Periaortic lymph nodes Preaortic lymph nodes Celiac lymph nodes Hepatic lymph nodes Gastric lymph nodes Splenic lymph nodes Superior mesenteric lymph nodes Inferior mesenteric lymph nodes Retroaortic lymph nodes Nodes around the iliac vessels are:

Common iliac lymph nodes Internal iliac lymph nodes External iliac lymph nodes Others in the pelvis include:

Sacral lymph nodes Retroperitoneal lymph nodes

Lymph nodes of the arm These drain the whole of the arm, and are divided into two groups, superficial and deep. The superficial nodes are supplied by lymphatics that are present throughout the arm, but are particularly rich on the palm and flexor aspects of the digits.

Superficial lymph nodes of the arm: Supratrochlear nodes: Situated above the medial epicondyle of the humerus, medial to the basilic vein, they drain the C7 and C8 dermatomes. Deltoideopectoral nodes: Situated between the pectoralis major and deltoid muscles inferior to the clavicle. Deep lymph nodes of the arm: These comprise the axillary nodes, which are 20-30 individual nodes and can be subdivided into: Lateral nodes Anterior or pectoral nodes Posterior or subscapular nodes Central or intermediate nodes Medial or subclavicular nodes

Lower limbs Superficial inguinal lymph nodes Deep inguinal lymph nodes Popliteal lymph nodes

Distribution The lymphatic vessels that link the lymph nodes are:

The lymphatics of the head, face, neck, and meningeal lymphatic vessels – drain to the deep cervical lymph nodes The jugular trunk The subclavian lymph trunk The thoracic duct The lymphatics of the upper extremity The right and left bronchomediastinal lymph trunks The lymphatics of the lower extremity The lymphatics of the abdomen and pelvis The lymphatic vessels of the thorax

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with List of lymph nodes of the human body

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what List of lymph nodes of the human body claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to List of lymph nodes of the human body before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about List of lymph nodes of the human body ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of List of lymph nodes of the human body

In research: List of lymph nodes of the human body appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses List of lymph nodes of the human body in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: List of lymph nodes of the human body is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Lists of human anatomical features, Lymphatic system, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for List of lymph nodes of the human body outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “List of lymph nodes of the human body” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study List of lymph nodes of the human body in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what List of lymph nodes of the human body means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain List of lymph nodes of the human body out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is List of lymph nodes of the human body in simple terms?

Humans have approximately 500–600 lymph nodes distributed throughout the body, with clusters found in the underarms, groin, neck, chest, and abdomen. Lymph nodes of the head Occipital lymph nodes Mastoid lymph nodes Parotid lymph nodes Lymph nodes of the neck Cervical lymph nodes Submental lymph no…

Why does List of lymph nodes of the human body matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study List of lymph nodes of the human body?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on List of lymph nodes of the human body.