What does the spleen do?

Question

what does the spleen do or what did it do?

Answer 1

The human spleen is an organ that creates lymphocytes for the destruction and recycling of old red-blood cells. The spleen is also a blood reservoir. It supplies the body with blood in emergencies such as a bad cut. The spleen is also the location where white blood cells trap organisms.

Answer 2

The spleen is an organ of the upper abdomen, where it functions in the destruction of old red blood cells and holding a reservoir of blood. It is regarded as one of the centers of activity of the reticuloendothelial system. Until recently, the purpose of the spleen was not known. It is increasingly recognized that its absence leads to a predisposition to certain infections.

Answer 3

Hi!!!

The spleen is an organ of the upper abdomen, where it functions in the destruction of old red blood cells and holding a reservoir of blood. It is regarded as one of the centers of activity of the reticuloendothelial system. Until recently, the purpose of the spleen was not known. It is increasingly recognized that its absence leads to a predisposition to certain infections.

The human spleen is located in the upper left part of the abdomen, behind the stomach and just below the diaphragm. In normal individuals this organ measures about 125 × 75 × 50 mm (5 × 3 × 2 inches) in size, with an average weight of 150 g.

The spleen is the largest organ derived from mesenchyme and lying in the mesentery. It consists of masses of lymphoid tissue of granular appearance located around fine terminal branches of veins and arteries. These vessels are connected by modified capillaries called splenic sinuses.

Approximately 10% of people have one or more accessory spleens. They may form near the hilum of the main spleen, the junction at which the splenic vessels enter and leave the organ.

There are several peritoneal ligaments that support the spleen[1] (to understand their naming it helps to know that "lien" is an alternate root for "spleen")

gastrolienal ligament (gastrosplenic) - connects stomach to spleen.
lienorenal ligament (splenorenal) - connects spleen to kidney.
phrenicocolic ligament - connects left colic flexure to the thoracic diaphragm. The middle connects to the spleen.

Production of opsonins, properdin, and tuftsin.
Creation of red blood cells. While the bone marrow is the primary site of hematopoeisis in the adult, up until the fifth month of gestation, the spleen has important hematopoietic functions. After birth, no significant hematopoietic function is left in the spleen except in some hematologic disorders: e.g. myelodysplastic syndrome, hemoglobinopathies.
Storage of red blood cells and other formed elements. This is more common in the adult than the creation of new red blood cells, but not as common as it is in some animals. In certain animals such as dogs and horses, the spleen sequesters a large number of erythrocytes (red blood cells), which can be dumped into the bloodstream during periods of physical exertion.[3] These animals also have large hearts in relation to their body size to accommodate the higher-viscosity blood that results. Some athletes have tried doping themselves with their own stored red blood cells to try to achieve the same effect, but the human heart is not equipped to handle the higher-viscosity blood.


For more details check out
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spleen
http://www.mamashealth.com/organs/spleen.asp
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/wnor/spleen.htm

Answer 4

"The spleen is an organ of the upper abdomen, where it functions in the destruction of old red blood cells and holding a reservoir of blood. It is regarded as one of the centers of activity of the reticuloendothelial system. Until recently, the purpose of the spleen was not known. It is increasingly recognized that its absence leads to a predisposition to certain infections."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spleen

Answer 5

Until recently, the purpose of the spleen was not known. It is increasingly recognized that its absence leads to a predisposition to certain infections.

The Spleen is a Mechanical filtration. It removes unwanted materials from the blood, including senescent red blood cells.
It also helps fight infections.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spleen

Answer 6

The spleen acts as a filter against foreign organisms that infect the blood stream. It also filters out old blood cells from the bloodstream and recycles them.

Answer 7

helps fight infections and kicks out antibodies, also kind of acts as a memory card, so that if you get the same bug again the spleen recognises it and knows which antibodies to release.
A lot of antibody development and research is done using the spleen and spleen cells core of hybridoma development.

Answer 8

Acts a filter against foreign organisms that infect the bloodstream

Filters out old red bloods cells from the bloodstream and recycles them

Manufactures red blood cells only toward the end of fetal life and after birth the function is taken over by the bone marrow

Acts as a blood reservoir


centers of activity of the reticuloendothelial system

Production of opsonins, properdin, and tuftsin. (Phagoctosis)

Answer 9

1. In the embryonic development, the spleen serves as haemopeotic tissue making RBCs etc.
2. In the adult stage, it serves as Blood bank as it stores blood and releases in case of emergencies like cuts, injuries etc.
3.Works as grave yard of old RBCs, by destroying the old RBCs.
4. Filters the blood by removing and destroying invading pathogenic organisms and foriegn particles.

Answer 10

A large, highly vascular lymphoid organ, lying in the human body to the left of the stomach below the diaphragm, serving to store blood, disintegrate old blood cells, filter foreign substances from the blood, and produce lymphocytes.