Library · Physiology
Function of the spleen
Make it clearer
The spleen acts as a checkpoint in the circulation. Blood passes through its red pulp, where young, flexible red blood cells continue on, while aging or misshapen cells are held back. Macrophages engulf those cells and recover some of their iron.
That same flow of blood also allows the spleen to watch for microorganisms. It takes part in phagocytic filtration, the capture of particles by cells that can engulf them, and in the production of antibodies that help mark what the immune system should recognize. These are not isolated jobs. The spleen inspects blood as it circulates and links that inspection to immune defense.
In brief
The spleen filters the blood by retaining aged or deformed red blood cells and helping recycle their iron.
The spleen acts as a checkpoint where circulating blood is screened for both aging cells and microorganisms.
It also contributes to immune defense through phagocytic filtration of the blood and the production of antibodies that help recognize microorganisms.
Sources (1)
- National Center for Biotechnology InformationPhysiology, Spleen
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated