A Simple Guide to The Spleen And Its Function (What You Need To Recycle RBCs)

By Kenneth Kee

The spleen is an organ present in all humans.
Similar in structure to a large lymph node, it acts primarily as a blood filter.
Thus life is possible after the spleen is removed.
The spleen plays important roles in regard to red blood cells and the immune system.
It removes old red blood cells and holds a reserve of blood in case of hemorrhagic shock and also recycles iron.
As a part of the mononuclear phagocyte system, it metabolizes hemoglobin removed from senescent erythrocytes.
The globin portion of hemoglobin is degraded to its constitutive amino acids and the heme portion is metabolized to bilirubin, which is removed in the liver.
The spleen synthesizes antibodies in its white pulp and removes antibody-coated bacteria and antibody-coated blood cells by way of blood and lymph node circulation
These monocytes, upon moving to injured tissue turn into dendritic cells and macrophages while promoting tissue healing.
The spleen is a center of activity of the reticuloendothelial system and can be considered analogous to a large lymph node as its absence causes a predisposition to certain infections.
In humans, the spleen is brownish in color and is located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen.
The spleen is located in the upper left part of the abdomen under the ribcage.
It works as part of the lymphatic system to protect the body, clearing worn-out red blood cells and other foreign bodies from the bloodstream to help fight off infection
The spleen also helps the body fight infection.
The spleen contains lymphocytes and another kind of white blood cell called macrophages which engulf and destroy bacteria, dead tissue, and foreign matter and remove them from the blood passing through the spleen.
The spleen helps control the amount of blood and blood cells that circulate through the body and helps destroy damaged cells.
The spleen is part of the lymphatic system.
The Red Pulp has the function of mechanical filtration of red blood cells
The White pulp produces an active immune response through humoral and cell-mediated pathways
The spleen is composed of nodules, called Malpighian corpuscles.
These are composed of:
1. Lymphoid follicles rich in B-lymphocytes
2. Periarteriolar lymphoid sheaths (PALS) rich in T-lymphocytes
Other functions of the spleen are less prominent, especially in the healthy adult:
1. Production of opsonins, properdin, and tuftsin.
2. Creation of red blood cells.
While the bone marrow is the primary site of hematopoiesis in the adult, the spleen has important hematopoietic functions up until the fifth month of gestation.
After birth, erythropoietic functions cease, except in some hematologic disorders.
As a major lymphoid organ and a central player in the reticuloendothelial system, the spleen retains the ability to produce lymphocytes and, as such, remains a hematopoietic organ.
3. Storage of red blood cells, lymphocytes and other formed elements.
The red blood cells can be released when needed
In humans, up to a cup (236.5 ml) of red blood cells can be held in the spleen and released in cases of hypovolemia.
It can store platelets in case of an emergency.
Up to a quarter of lymphocytes can be stored in the spleen at any one time.
The spleen is enlarged for various reasons such as cancer specifically blood-based leukemias.
But in some cases, more serious diseases such as cancer can cause the spleen to expand.
Traumas such as a motor vehicle accident can cause rupture of the spleen.
This is a situation that requires immediate medical attention.

TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Chapter 1 The Spleen
Chapter 2 Spleen Function
Chapter 3 The Immune system of the Spleen
Chapter 4 Protection of the Spleen
Chapter 5 The Spleen and Diseases
Epilogue

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kenneth Kee
• Release date: Oct 29, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370043842

Kenneth Kee

Medical doctor since 1972.Started Kee Clinic in 1974 at 15 Holland Dr #03-102, relocated to 36 Holland Dr #01-10 in 2009.Did my M.Sc (Health Management ) in 1991 and Ph.D (Healthcare Administration) in 1993.Dr Kenneth Kee is still working as a family doctor at the age of 74However he has reduced his consultation hours to 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours inthe afternoon.He first started writing free blogs on medical disorders seen in the clinic in 2007 on http://kennethkee.blogspot.com.His purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of his patients which is also his dissertation for his Ph.D (Healthcare Administration). He then wrote an autobiography account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.comThis autobiography account “A Family Doctor’s Tale” was combined with his early “A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders” into a new Wordpress Blog “A Family Doctor’s Tale” on http://ken-med.com.From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 1000 eBooks.He apologized for typos and spelling mistakes in his earlier books.He will endeavor to improve the writing in futures.Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.The later books go into more details of medical disorders.He has published 1000 eBooks on various subjects on health, 1 autobiography of his medical journey, another on the autobiography of a Cancer survivor, 2 children stories and one how to study for his nephew and grand-daughter.The purpose of these simple guides is to educate patient on health disorders and not meant as textbooks.He does not do any night duty since 2000 ever since Dr Tan had his second stroke.His clinic is now relocated to the Buona Vista Community Centre.The 2 units of his original clinic are being demolished to make way for a new Shopping Mall.He is now doing some blogging and internet surfing (bulletin boards since the 1980's) startingwith the Apple computer and going to PC.The entire PC is upgraded by himself from XT to the present Pentium duo core.The present Intel i7 CPU is out of reach at the moment because the CPU is still expensive.He is also into DIY changing his own toilet cistern and other electric appliance.His hunger for knowledge has not abated and he is a lifelong learner.The children have all grown up and there are 2 grandchildren who are even more technically advanced than the grandfather where mobile phones are concerned.This book is taken from some of the many articles in his blog (now with 740 posts) A Family Doctor’s Tale.Dr Kee is the author of:"A Family Doctor's Tale""Life Lessons Learned From The Study And Practice Of Medicine""Case Notes From A Family Doctor"

Book preview

A

Simple

Guide

to

The Spleen

And

Its Function

(What You Need To Recycle RBCs)

by

Dr Kenneth Kee

M.B., B.S. (Singapore)

Ph.D (Healthcare Administration)

Copyright Kenneth Kee 2013 Smashwords Edition

Published By Kenneth Kee at Smashwords.com

Dedication

This book is dedicated

to my wife Dorothy

and my children

Carolyn, Grace

and Kelvin

This book describes the Spleen and it’s Function in recycling the Red Blood cells in the Human Body or in vernacular terms What you Need to Recycle the Red Blood Cells

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If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.

Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Introduction

You're right, a spleen is a strange thing-we technically don't need one, but maybe spleens are kept in our bodies in case we mutate or evolve, and if we grow wings or tentacles we need to have the spleen in place in order for them to work."

Douglas Coupland The Gum Thief

"Must I observe you? must I stand and crouch

Under your testy humor? By the gods

You shall digest the venom of your spleen,

Though it do split you; for, from this day forth,

I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,

When you are waspish"

William Shakespeare, in Julius Caesar uses the spleen to describe Cassius'