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Semester 3 Week 1: Funtion of Spleen

The spleen filters blood and removes old red blood cells, foreign pathogens, and debris. It is composed of white pulp containing lymphocytes that produce antibodies, and red pulp made of sinusoids that filter blood. The spleen stores blood cells and platelets and releases them when needed. Although people can live without a spleen, its removal increases risk of infection as it impairs the body's ability to fight pathogens in the bloodstream.

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109 views2 pages

Semester 3 Week 1: Funtion of Spleen

The spleen filters blood and removes old red blood cells, foreign pathogens, and debris. It is composed of white pulp containing lymphocytes that produce antibodies, and red pulp made of sinusoids that filter blood. The spleen stores blood cells and platelets and releases them when needed. Although people can live without a spleen, its removal increases risk of infection as it impairs the body's ability to fight pathogens in the bloodstream.

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Ridzuan
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SEMESTER 3 WEEK 1

FUNTION OF SPLEEN
The spleen, a spongy, soft organ about as big as a persons fist, is located in the
upper left part of the abdomen, just under the rib cage. The splenic artery brings
blood to the spleen from the heart. Blood leaves the spleen through the splenic
vein, which drains into a larger vein (the portal vein) that carries the blood to the
liver. The spleen has a covering of fibrous tissue (the splenic capsule) that supports
its blood vessels and lymphatic vessels.
The spleen is made up of two basic types of tissue, each with different functions:
White pulp
Red pulp
The white pulp is the infection-fighting lymphoid tissue where white blood cells are
produced and mature. This pulp is made up of periarteriolar lymphoid sheaths
(PALS) and lymphatic nodules. The sheaths surround central arteries within the
spleen and contain T lymphocytes that attack foreign bodies as the blood is filtered
into the spleen. The lymphatic nodules are where B-lymphocytes predominate,
producing antibodies to coat pathogens and flag them up for removal by scavenger
cells.
The splenic artery delivers blood to the spleen where it is filtered by the red pulp.
The red pulp is made up of cords of connective tissue and wide blood vessels called
splenic sinusoids. Blood passes through the cords and into the sinusoids where it is
drained into the large trabecular veins of the spleen.
Blood is filtered through gaps in the sinusoid lining, which prevents old, damaged or
abnormal red blood cells from passing into the bloodstream. These unwanted cells
are targeted by phagocytes, which also ingest any invading pathogens that are
present such as bacteria, fungi and viruses. Other debris such as denatured
hemoglobin is also prevented from entering the blood stream by the sinusoids.
The channels of the red pulp also act as a reservoir for storing various blood
components, particularly phagocytes and platelets, which can be released and
travel to sites of injury to regulate inflammation and facilitate healing.
People can live without a spleen. Sometimes the spleen must be removed surgically
(splenectomy), for example, if it is severely damaged by an injury or if certain
disorders cause it to become very large. When the spleen is removed, the body
loses some of its ability to produce protective antibodies and to remove unwanted
microorganisms from the blood. As a result, the bodys ability to fight infections is
impaired.
Sources
Dr.Aydat

www.uniroma2.it/didattica/IstologiaEmbriologia/deposito/spleen.pdf
courseweb.edteched.uottawa.ca/.../Lymphatic%20system%20lecture.pdf
www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/.../Spleen_explained

Dr.Aydat

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