Chapter 23

Spleen

FUNCTIONAL ANATOMY

RED P U L P

WHITE P U L P

FUNCTIONS

OF CELLS
BLOOD
FORMATION
OF BLOOD CELLS
DESTRUCTION
BLOOD RESERVOIR FUNCTION
DEFENSE OF BODY
ROLE IN
APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY

SPLENOMEGALY AND HYPERSPLENISM

HYPOSPLENISM AND ASPLENIA

corpuscles are formed by lymphatic sheath containing

SPLEEN
FUNCTIONAL
ANATOMY OF lymphocytes and macrophages.
the body and
lymphoid organ in
Spleen is the largest
vascular. It is
situated in left
hypochondriac
behind the
FUNCTIONS OF SPLEEN
it is highly abdomen,
1 . FORMATION OF BLOOD CELLS
left part of the
region, i.e. upper About 10% of
below the diaphragm.
stomach and just spleens
which are
Spleenplaysanimportantroleinthe hematopoieticfunctio
more accessory
one or in embryo. During the hepatic stage, spleen produces
people have
main spleen.
situated near the s e r o u s coat
and an
an outer
Spleen is covered by the
From the capsule, Red pulp
fibromuscular capsule.
inner
network arise. All
the three
and trabecular
trabeculae
and trabecular net-
trabeculae
structures, viz. capsule, smooth mus-
Vascular
work contain collagen
fibers, elastic fribers, sinusoid
of spleen
reticular cells. The parenchyma
cle fibers and
is divided into red and
white pulp (Fig. 23.1). Artery

RED PULP ahecula

and cords of structures
Red pulp consists of venous sinus
Such as blood cells, macrophages
and mesenchymal
cells
apsule
WHITE PULP
Vein
The structure of white pulp is similar to that of lymphoid
tissue. It has a central artery, which is surrounded by FIGURE23.1: Sa.e
Malpighian corpuscles. These
splenic corpuscles or
 152 Sectlon 2 Blood and Body Fluids
blood cells along with liver. In splenomegaly resulting
in
hypersplen
myeloid stage, it
the blood cells along with liver and bone
produces diseases cause

marrow ism.
splenomegaly are:
Diseases which cause

2 . DESTRUCTION OF as malaria, yphoid an

BLOOD CELLS 1. Infectious diseases
such

Older RBCs. lymphocytes and thrombocytes are des tuberculosis.

like rheumatoid arthritis
troyed in the spleen. When the RBCs become old (120 Inflammatory diseases
days), the cell membrane becomes more fragile. Diam- 3. Pernicious anemia
eter of most of the
capillaries is less or equal to that 4. Liver diseases.
of RBC. The disorders like spherocytosis
fragile old cells are destroyed while trying 5. Hematological
to squeeze
through the capillaries because, these cells 6. Cysts in spleen.
cannot withstand the stress of
squeezing. 7. Hodgkin's disease.
Destruction occurs mostly in the capillaries of spleen, 8. Glandular fever.
because the splenic capillaries have a thin lumen. So,
the spleen is known as
'graveyard of RBCs'. Effects of Splenomegaly
3 . BLOOD in anemia.
RESERVOIR FUNCTION 1. Hemolysis resulting
In animals. spleen stores 2. Leukopenia.
large amount of blood. Howev- 3. Thrombocytopenia.
er, this function is not
significant in humans. But, a large volume.
number of RBCs are stored in spleen. The RBCs are 4. Increase in plasma
released from spleen into circulation during the emer- HYPOSPLENISM AND ASPLENIA
gency conditions like hypoxia and hemorrhage.
refers to diminished
Hyposplenism or hyposplenia
14. ROLEIN DEFENSE OF BODY after partial removal of
functioning of spleen. It
occurs
means absence
Spleen filters
the blood by removing the spleen due to trauma or cyst. Asplenia
microorgan
isms. The macrophages in splenic pulp destroy the mic- of spleen. Functional asplenia means normal functicns
of spleen. It in the following conditions:
occurs
roorganisms and other foreign bodies by phagocytosis.
1. Congenital absence of spleen function (congenita
Spleen contains about 25% of T lymphocytes and 15%
of B lymphocytes and forms the site of antibody produc- asplenia).
tion. 2. Acquired through surgical removal ofspleen (sole
nectomy).
3. Acquired through some diseases, which destrc
APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY spleen to such an extent that it becomes nonfunc
ISPLENOMEGALY AND HYPERSPLENISM tional. This process is called autosplenectomy. Th
Splenomegaly refers to enlargement of spleen. Increase diseases which cause autosplenectomy are sick
in the activities of spleen is called hypersplenism. Some cell anemia and spherooytosis.