What are the functions of the spleen?
Functions of the spleen The spleen’s primary job is to filter the blood. As blood flows into the spleen, it performs a quality control service, detecting any red blood cells that are old or…
What is the role of the spleen in heterotaxy syndrome?
Cardiac malformations are a major component of heterotaxy syndrome and can be associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. As part of the lymphatic system, the spleen serves multiple major and inter-related functions involving the body’s blood supply. It plays an important role in immune function and in recycling RBCs.
What is the relationship between spleen enlargement and thrombocytopenia?
In health disturbances followed by spleen enlargement (splenomegaly), the amount of platelets sequestrated in the spleen increases up to 90%, resulting in thrombocytopenia (a low number of platelets in circulating blood).
How does the spleen affect the red blood cells?
It affects the number of red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout your body, and the number of platelets, which are cells that help your blood to clot. It does this by breaking down and removing cells that are abnormal, old, or damaged. The spleen also stores red blood cells, platelets, and infection-fighting white blood cells.
What is the function of haemoglobin in the spleen?
Hemoglobin is an important protein in your blood that transports oxygen from your lungs to all the parts of your body that need it. Another useful purpose of your spleen is storing blood. The blood vessels in human spleens are able to get wider or narrower, depending on your body’s needs.
What is the function of white pulp in spleen?
White pulp is the main lymphoid tissue of the spleen. It is the accumulation of lymphocytes around an arterial vessel. This aggregation of lymphocytes constitutes the lymphoid tissue known as periarterial lymphoidsheath ( PALS) and it is the first to react if microbes reach the spleen through the bloodstream.
What is the hilum of the spleen?
It’s covered in visceral peritoneum, a smooth membrane that’s composed of two layers of cells, which secrete fluid and serve a protective function. 1 There is, however, an opening in this membrane called the hilum of the spleen, which allows the splenic artery and vein to circulate blood to the organ.
Your spleen’s main function is to act as a filter for your blood. It recognizes and removes old, malformed, or damaged red blood cells. When blood flows into your spleen, your spleen performs “quality control”; your red blood cells must pass through a maze of narrow passages.
What is the main role of the spleen in immunity?
The physical organization of the spleen allows it to filter blood of pathogens and abnormal cells and facilitate low probability interactions between antigen presenting cells (APCs) and cognate lymphocytes. APCs unique to the spleen regulate the T and B cell response to these antigenic targets in the blood.
Does not having a spleen affect your immune system?
However, with the loss of the lymphoid tissue in the spleen, the immune system fights infections with a bit of a handicap. That’s why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that people without a spleen get vaccinated against preventable diseases, including influenza (flu).
How hematopoiesis occurs in spleen?
The hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in the bone marrow emigrate to the periphery such as the liver and spleen. Upon infection and resultant immune responses, various hematopoietic factors including TLR ligands and cytokines promote extramedullary hematopoiesis in the liver and spleen.
Should you get a flu shot if you have no spleen?
Yes! You need a flu shot every fall (or winter) for your protection and for the protection of others around you. Yes! You are at increased risk for meningococcal disease because you do not have a functioning spleen.
What happens during hematopoiesis?
Hematopoiesis is the production of all of the cellular components of blood and blood plasma. It occurs within the hematopoietic system, which includes organs and tissues such as the bone marrow, liver, and spleen. Simply, hematopoiesis is the process through which the body manufactures blood cells.
What does NOS2 stand for?
Nitric oxide synthase 2 (inducible) Nitric oxide synthase, inducible is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the NOS2 gene. Nitric oxide is a reactive free radical which acts as a biologic mediator in several processes, including neurotransmission and antimicrobial and antitumoral activities.
What is the function of the spleen?
The spleen participates in the creation of blood cells and also helps to filter out the blood, removing old blood cells and fighting infection.
What innervates the spleen?
The spleen is innervated by autonomic nerves from the celiac plexus, which supply the spleen with both sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves. These nerves form the splenic plexus which reaches the splenic hilum traveling along the splenic artery and its branches. The spleen is a secondary lymphoid organ.
Why is the spleen not a necessary organ?
As a spleen becomes enlarged, it becomes more fragile and is more likely to be damaged in an accident. As the spleen is not the only organ responsible for any of these functions, the spleen is not a necessary organ. It is possible to have the spleen removed and live a healthy life.