Correct Response: A. As blood circulates through the capillaries, it loses a significant volume of fluid to the surrounding tissues. Vessels of the lymph system collect the lost fluid and return it to the blood stream. Without this important function of the lymphatic system, blood volume would most likely drop to the extent that circulation could no longer occur. Carbon dioxide released from cells (B) diffuses through the interstitial fluid that bathes the cells and enters the capillaries, also by diffusion. The kidneys, not the lymphatic system, are the primary organs that maintain the electrolyte balance of body fluids (C). The liver, not the lymphatic system, has a number of functions that include the detoxification of potentially harmful chemicals from the bloodstream (D).
