The spleen plays multiple supporting roles in the body. It acts as a filter for blood as part of the immune system.
This leaflet gives a brief overview of the spleen and its functions. The spleen is an organ about the size of a clenched fist found on the left-hand side of your upper abdomen. Its main functions are to filter your blood, create new blood cells and store platelets. It is also a key part of your body's immune system. The spleen is found on the left side of your body, behind the stomach on a level with the 9th to 11th ribs. It is similar in structure to a lymph node, and is the largest lymphatic organ in the body. The spleen contains two main types of tissue-white pulp and red pulp Function of the Spleen. Spleen, a small, purple colored organ placed in the upper left part of the abdomen, has several important functions in human body. Basically, spleen functions as a part of the immune system and as a filter and reservoir of blood. Find out more information on function of the spleen. Advertisement. Spleen is an important organ that is considered as a part of the lymphatic system. 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. The spleen is shaped like a loose fist and is tucked under the left side of the diaphragm. The average weight of an adult spleen is 0.44 lbs. But the spleen’s most important functions are not simply storage of blood cells and platelets. A Blood Filter. One of the spleen’s most important functions is to filter out microorganisms and foreign particles that have entered our bloodstream. For instance, in experiments, scientists have observed that foreign dye particles discoloring the blood can be entirely removed in one pass through the spleen. The spleen plays multiple supporting roles in the body. It acts as a filter for blood as part of the immune system. Old red blood cells are recycled in the spleen, and platelets and white blood cells are stored there. The spleen also helps fight certain kinds of bacteria that cause pneumonia and meningitis. It is also an important organ in the immune system, producing the white blood cells that fight infection and synthesize antibodies. Although the spleen is important for many functions in the body, the spleen is not vital to survival and it is possible to live without a spleen. Without the spleen, other organs in the body (particularly the liver) adapt and increase their ability to fight infection and remove redundant red blood cells. The spleen is located in the left upper quarter of the abdomen, beneath the ninth to the twelfth rib. In healthy adults, the organ measures around 10 to 12 centimetres in length and weighs around 150 to 200 grams. The spleen is a multifunctional organ. In the circulatory system, its main role is to destroy and remove old or defective red blood cells and cell debris or bacteria from the blood stream. It also produces red blood cells when required, as well as lymphocytes, plasma cells, and antibodies.  The spleen is an organ in the upper far left part of the abdomen, to the left of the stomach. The spleen varies in size and shape between people, but it’s commonly fist-shaped, purple, and about 4 inches long. Because the spleen is protected by the rib cage, you can’t easily feel it unless it’s abnormally enlarged. Old red blood cells are recycled in the spleen, and platelets and white blood cells are stored there. The spleen also helps fight certain kinds of bacteria that cause pneumonia and meningitis. How the Body Works The Spleen. The spleen is a small organ located behind the stomach in the left, upper part of the abdomen. A mass of lymphoid tissue, it contains two distinct areas, the white pulp and the red pulp. The white pulp is distributed, as tiny nodules of lymphatic tissue, among the red pulp, which fills all the remaining space
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what role does the spleen have in our bodies