Spleen
The spleen is a fist-sized organ of the lymphatic system that
operates as filter for blood. It helps ward off infections and maintains
body-fluid balance.
In addition to filtering blood through pulp-like tissue, the
spleen also houses two very important types of immunity-related white blood
cells: lymphocytes and phagocytes.
Some of the spleen’s other functions include:
·
Cleaning impurities
from the blood
·
Destruction and
removal of old red blood cells
·
Storing blood in case
of emergency, such as trauma
Because the spleen is soft, it can be injured in an accident,
but this is rarely life threatening. If the damage is severe enough, the spleen
may need to be surgically removed through a procedure called splenectomy.
Humans can live without a spleen because other organs — such as
the liver — can take over the spleen’s function. However, people who have had
their spleens removed are at greater risk of contracting serious
infections.
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