Spleen

Functions of Spleen
1. Hematopoietic Function: Formation of blood cells
* During intra uterine life, spleen produces blood cells along with liver and
bone marrow
* During postnatal life, in certain pathological conditions, spleen produces
blood cells.
2. Blood reservoir function:
* Spleen acts as an important reservoir of blood in mammals.
* In humans, large number of RBCs are stored in spleen and released in to
circulation during emergency conditions like hypoxia and haemorrhage.
3. Destruction of blood cells :
* Older RBCs , lymphocytes and platelets are destroyed in spleen .
* Fragile old RBC cells are destroyed while squeezing through splenic
capillaries and undergo haemolysis and hence known as graveyard of
RBC.
4. Immune function:
* Spleen is secondary lymphoid organ
* Spleen filters blood by removing microorganisms
* Macrophages in splenic pulp destroys antigens, pathogens and other
foreign bodies by phagocytosis.
* Spleen contains T and B lymphocytes and forms site of antibody
production.
5. Role in iron metabolism:
Macrophages in splenic pulp recycle iron from broken down and damaged
RBCs . Macrophages store iron in cytoplasm or export via ferritin in to
blood stream.
 BONE MARROW
▪ Bone marrow is soft, spongy, gelatinous tissue found inside the bones.
▪ Occupy the medullary cavity and cancellous (spongy) spaces of bone.
▪ It is a primary lymphoid tissue
▪ Average weight of this tissue is about 4-5% of total body weight
Functional components :
* Bone marrow consists of 2 types of stem cells, which are large, primitive,
undifferentiated cells which can give rise to a number of different kinds of
cells.
1. Haemopoietic stem cells
2. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC)/Mesenchymal stromal cells
Hemopoietic stem cells :
* Hemopoietic stem cells gives rise to Myeloid and lymphoid stem cells
which divide and eventually give rise to RBCs, platelets and WBCs
* RBCs and platelets originate from myeloid stem cells.
* After maturation, these blood cells move from bone marrow in to the
blood stream.
* B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes originate from lymphoid stem cells.
T lymphocytes migrate to the thymus and get processed and matured in
thymus.
* Bone marrow thus contains blood cells at varying stages of
development.

Mesenchymal stem cells (Mesenchymal stromal cells) :

* The bone marrow stroma contains mesenchymal stem cells.
* Mesenchymal stem cells are multipotent stem cells that can differentiate
into a variety of cell types such as, osteoblasts(bone forming cells),
chondrocytes (cartilage forming cells),Adipocytes (fat cells), and
myocytes (muscle cells),
* Stromal cells also include fibroblasts, macrophages, endothelial cells etc.
Types :
Depending upon prevalence of hemopoietic cells or fat cells, 2types
1. Red bone marrow
2. Yellow bone marrow
Red bone marrow (RBM):
▪ Present in almost all bones of body at birth.
▪ In adults, mainly found in the flat bones, such as skull bones, scapula,
sternum, ribs, vertebrae, pelvic bones. Also in in the epiphyseal ends
(spongy bone) of long bones such as the humerus, femur and tibia.
▪ It is highly vascular
▪ With the advancement of age, red bone marrow is replaced by fatty
tissues and become yellow bone marrow which is inactive.
▪ RBM is active bone marrow, concerned with Haematopoiesis

Yellow bone marrow:

▪ Found in the hollow interior of the diaphyseal portion (shaft) of long
bones in the medullary cavity.
▪ Consists primarily of fat cells and is less vascular.
▪ In adults, nearly 50 % of RBM is converted in to YBM.
▪ By the time a person reaches old age, nearly all of the red marrow is
replaced by yellow marrow and become inactive.
▪ Yellow marrow can transform to red bone marrow if there is increased
demand for red blood cells, such as in cases of excess blood loss, chronic
haemolytic anaemia etc.
▪ Aids in storge of fats in adipocytes
▪ Hemopoietically inactive and so do not produce blood cells.
Functions of bone marrow:
1. Hemopoietic function: Production and release of blood cells

* During last three months of intrerauterine life, blood cells are produced from
bone marrow along with liver.
* After birth, normally red bone marrow is the site of production of blood cells.
* After maturation in bone amrrow, blood cells are released in to circulation (T
lymphocytes migrate to thymus and matured there)

2. Destruction of RBCs : Macrophages in the bone marrow phagocytose aged,

damaged or abnormal RBCs and causes hemolysis.

3. Bone marrow barrier : Blood vessels of bone marrow constitute a barrier,

inhibiting immature blood cells from leaving the marrow.

4. Immune function :

* Bone marrow is primary lymphoid tissue where lymphocytes (B &T cells)

are produced from hemopoietic stem cells.
* B lymphocytes are matured in bone marrow.

5. Mesenchymal stem cells in bone marrow differentiate in to a variety of cell types such
as osteocytes, chondrocytes, adipocytes, myocytes etc.

6. Storage function : Stores iron in form of ferritin and of hemosiderin. This stored
iron can be utilized for the synthesis of hemoglobin.