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An easy way to remember the anatomy of the spleen is the 1×3×5×7×9×10×11 rule. The spleen is 1 by 3 by 5 inches (3 by 8 by 13 cm), weighs approximately 7 oz (200 g), and lies between the ninth and eleventh ribs on the left-hand side and along the axis of the tenth rib.
The spleen is the largest lymphoid organ in the body but has other functions. [23] It breaks down both red and white blood cells that are spent. This is why it is sometimes known as the 'graveyard of red blood cells'. [23] A product of this digestion is the pigment bilirubin, which is sent to the liver and secreted in the bile.
Acquired asplenia occurs for several reasons: . Following splenectomy due to splenic rupture from trauma or because of tumor; After splenectomy with the goal of interfering with splenic function, as a treatment for diseases (e.g. idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, thalassemia, spherocytosis), in which the spleen's usual activity exacerbates the disease
An image of the spleen in the human body. Also shows the red and white pulp regions. Splenocytes are spleen cells and consist of leukocytes like B and T cells, dendritic cells, and macrophages. [2] The spleen is split into red and white pulp regions with the marginal zone separating the two areas. The red pulp is involved with filtering blood ...
The red pulp of the spleen is composed of connective tissue known also as the cords of Billroth and many splenic sinusoids that are engorged with blood, giving it a red color. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] Its primary function is to filter the blood of antigens , microorganisms, and defective or worn-out red blood cells.
White pulp is a histological designation for regions of the spleen (named because it appears whiter than the surrounding red pulp on cross section), that encompasses approximately 25% of splenic tissue. White pulp consists entirely of lymphoid tissue. Specifically, the white pulp encompasses several areas with distinct functions:
various functions including lubrication and protection: ceruminous glands, lacrimal glands, sebaceous glands and mucus: Lymphatic system: return lymph to the bloodstream, aid immune responses, form white blood cells: lymph, lymph nodes, lymph vessels, tonsils, spleen and thymus: Nervous system: sensing and processing information, controlling ...
The spleen is an important organ in regard to immunological function due to its ability to efficiently destroy encapsulated bacteria. Therefore, removal of the spleen runs the risk of overwhelming post-splenectomy infection , a medical emergency and rapidly fatal disease caused by the inability of the body's immune system to properly fight ...