Which of the following statements is correct?
I. Lymphatic system collects tissue fluid / interstitial fluid and drains it back to the major veins
II. Interstitial fluid (tissue fluid) and lymph have almost similar composition.
III. Lymph and interstitial fluid have no larger proteins and RBC
IV. Exchange of nutrients and gases, etc. between the blood and cells always occurs through tissue fluid
V. Interstitial fluid has the same mineral distribution as that in plasma
VI. Lymph can be defined as blood minus RBC but has specialized lymphocytes

Options

A. All
B. Only III and IV
C. V and VI
D. I, III, V

Answer

To determine which of the statements is correct, we will analyze each statement one by one.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Statement I: Lymphatic system collects tissue fluid/interstitial fluid and drains it back to the major veins.**
- The lymphatic system does indeed collect interstitial fluid (or tissue fluid) from the tissues and drains it back into the bloodstream via the major veins. This statement is **correct**.

2. **Statement II: Interstitial fluid (tissue fluid) and lymph have almost similar composition.**
- Interstitial fluid and lymph are similar in composition, as both contain water, electrolytes, and small molecules. However, lymph contains more lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). The phrase "almost similar" makes this statement **correct**.

3. **Statement III: Lymph and interstitial fluid have no larger proteins and RBC.**
- Both lymph and interstitial fluid are characterized by the absence of large proteins and red blood cells (RBCs). This statement is **correct**.

4. **Statement IV: Exchange of nutrients and gases, etc. between the blood and cells always occurs through tissue fluid.**
- The exchange of nutrients and gases occurs through the interstitial fluid, which acts as a medium between blood and cells. This statement is **correct**.

5. **Statement V: Interstitial fluid has the same mineral distribution as that in plasma.**
- While interstitial fluid is similar to plasma, it does not have the exact same mineral distribution due to the absence of certain proteins and cells. This statement is **incorrect**.

6. **Statement VI: Lymph can be defined as blood minus RBC but has specialized lymphocytes.**
- Lymph is indeed similar to blood but without red blood cells and contains lymphocytes. This statement is **correct**.

### Conclusion:
Based on the analysis:
- Statements I, II, III, IV, and VI are correct.
- Statement V is incorrect.

Thus, the correct statements are I, II, III, IV, and VI.