Spleen
Scientists have discovered that the spleen, long consigned to the B-list of abdominal organs and known as much for its metaphoric as its physiological value, plays a more important role in the body’s defense system than anyone suspected - Natalie Angier
image by: Matt The Electrician
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Meet The Spleen, The Strange Little Organ That Can Multiply
On a crisp New England fall day, college freshman Jordan Taylor was playing Ultimate Frisbee when he collided with another player. Taylor was rushed to the hospital, where doctors realized he'd been hit hard enough to tear the delicate covering of his spleen, and he was bleeding internally. A quick surgery fixed the spleen, but doctors saw something strange while they were operating.
"As the doctor was speaking to me post-surgery, he mentioned he'd noticed I had a bunch of extra spleens," Taylor says. We asked if the additional organs gave him spleeny superpowers.
No, alas. But "now I have a pretty good fun fact for when I meet new people," he says. "Never fails to get…
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Finally, the Spleen Gets Some Respect
Scientists have discovered that the spleen, long consigned to the B-list of abdominal organs and known as much for its metaphoric as its physiological value, plays a more important role in the body’s defense system than anyone suspected.
The world’s best freedivers seem to have evolved super-sized spleens
If you want to be a successful freediver, work out your spleen.
How the spleen keeps blood healthy
The spleen helps keep harmful microorganisms out of the bloodstream. It holds key components of the body’s immune system. The spleen also removes unhealthy, old, and misshapen red blood cells from circulation.
No spleen? What you need to know to stay healthy
Due to injury or necessary surgery (splenectomy), some people are lacking a spleen, the organ that filters the bloodstream and helps the body fight infection. You do not need your spleen to live a normal, healthy life. However, since the spleen performs some important tasks, people who do not have one are urged to take certain precautions.
Seven body organs you can live without
When you look inside the spleen, it has two notable colours. A dark red colour and small pockets of white. These link to the functions. The red is involved in storing and recycling red blood cells, while the white is linked to storage of white cells and platelets. You can comfortably live without a spleen. This is because the liver plays a role in recycling red blood cells and their components. Similarly, other lymphoid tissues in the body help with the immune function of the spleen.
Spleen: A new role for an old player?
Due to the view that the “spleen is useless”, research on this organ has lagged behind that of other organs. Since 1952, when King and Schumacker reported overwhelming post-splenectomy infection, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of the spleen in the human body. On the other hand, physicians often encounter spleen enlargement, i.e., splenomegaly which is almost always a consequence of other disorders. Hypersplenism is a secondary process that can arise from splenomegaly of almost any cause. In recent years, following in-depth studies of spleen organization and structure, cell function, secretion and innervations, a better understanding of the function of the spleen has been gained.
Meet The Spleen, The Strange Little Organ That Can Multiply
"As far as we know, the spleen is the only organ that can do this," says Shatz. Even livers, with their impressive regenerative powers, can't replicate like a spleen.
Live Science
The spleen is the largest organ in the lymphatic system. It is an important organ for keeping bodily fluids balanced, but it is possible to live without it.
MedlinePlus
The spleen is part of your lymphatic system, which fights infection and keeps your body fluids in balance. It contains white blood cells that fight germs. Your spleen also helps control the amount of blood in your body, and destroys old and damaged cells. Certain diseases might cause your spleen to swell.
NHS
Some people are born without a spleen or need to have it removed because of illness or injury. The spleen is a fist-sized organ in the upper left side of your abdomen, next to your stomach and behind your left ribs. It's an important part of your immune system, but you can survive without it. This is because the liver can take over many of the spleen's functions.
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