So, here we have an example problem that asks, which part of the lymphatic system is most closely associated with cardiovascular capillary beds? We've got these 4 potential answer options down below, which are lymphatic capillaries, lymphatic trunks, lymph nodes, and thymus. Now, the first option that we can eliminate right off the bat is answer option d, which says thymus. This is because the thymus is a lymphatic organ, or a lymphoid organ that we'll talk more about moving forward in our course. Although it does have its own blood supply and its own capillaries, it is a single organ that is located in a single region of the body, and it's not associated with practically all the capillary beds throughout the body. For that reason, we can eliminate answer option d.
The next option we can eliminate is answer option c, which says lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are strategically located throughout the body, and we'll talk more about lymph nodes moving forward in our course. Although these lymph nodes can have a blood supply and capillary beds, lymph nodes are not going to be associated with practically every capillary bed throughout the body, and so for that reason, we can eliminate answer option c.
Now we're between either option a or option b, and recall from our last lesson video that it's the lymphatic capillaries that are going to be most closely associated with cardiovascular capillary beds because recall that the cardiovascular capillary beds have a limitation in that they lose fluids to the tissues, and when they lose fluids, those fluids need to be returned back to the cardiovascular system. These lymphatic capillaries are associated with practically every cardiovascular capillary bed to help reabsorb those lost fluids and return those lost fluids back to the cardiovascular system. So, option a is going to be the correct answer to this example problem, and option b says lymphatic trunks, but these lymphatic trunks are going to be larger lymphatic vasculature, or larger lymphatic vessels that are not going to be as closely associated with capillary beds. So, a here is the correct answer. That concludes this example, and I'll see you all in our next video.