The lymphatic system has many purposes, including draining the 10% of interstitial fluid that is not reabsorbed by the capillaries, housing the lymph nodes that produce B-cells, and serving as a migration site for macrophages that present antigens to B-cells to initiate an immune system reaction.

The bone marrow is responsible for producing red blood cells, and for allowing B-cells to mature.

The lymphatic system carries lymph, which is a colorless fluid containing white blood cells, to help the body remove excess interstitial fluid. Fluids from the blood leak out of the gaps between capillary epithelium and must be returned to circulation to prevent accumulation. The lymphatic system collects this fluid and passes it through lymph nodes, which house lymphocytes that screen the fluids for foreign antigens. The lymphatic vessels then carry the fluids to the heart, releasing the lymph back into circulation via the right atrium.

The liver is primarily responsible for the detoxification of the blood.

All other listed options are the primary roles of the lymphatic system. Digested fats are emulsified in the small intestine, then transported via lymph (rather than blood). They enter the blood stream through the subclavian vein. The lymph also contains a large number of lymphocytes, or white blood cells, which can screen for microbes. Excess interstitial fluid is transferred to the lymph via leaky capillaries. The thymus, a primary lymphoid organ, is responsible for T-cell maturation.

All of these statements are true of the lymphatic system. Without a dedicated pump of its own, it relies on skeletal muscle contraction in adjacent muscles and the presence of one-way valves to remove excess interstitial fluid and bring it to lymph nodes, where the immune system can be activated.

The lymphatic system is important for the return of interstitial fluid back into the blood stream. Fluids that escape vessels and capillaries that would otherwise remain between tissue are returned to the bloodstream by the lymphatic system. Also, lymph nodes play a key role in the immune system, as they are storage centers for memory cells that have been produced as a result of an antigen binding to a B-cell during a primary response. Finally, the lymphatic system is also involved in the transport of insoluble formations of fats called chylomicrons to the blood stream. The lymphatic system plays no role in the secretion of aminopeptidase; therefore, that is the correct answer.

Water-soluble nutrients are generally absorbed directly into the blood stream via various mechanisms, including but not limited to facilitated diffusion and active transport. Long-chain fatty acids, cholesterol, triglycerides, and large-fat soluble drugs are packaged into chylomicrons and taken up by the lymphatics in the gut before they are delivered to systemic circulation.