The spleen is a vital organ with multiple important functions related to blood filtering and immune system support. It acts as a filter, removing old or damaged red blood cells, and plays a crucial role in fighting infections.
Key Functions of the Spleen:
- Filtering Blood: The spleen acts as a blood filter, removing old, damaged, or abnormal red blood cells from circulation. Cleveland Clinic describes this as a key function. This process helps maintain healthy blood composition.
- Fighting Infections: The spleen contains infection-fighting white blood cells that actively combat invading germs in the blood. NHS, NHS inform, and other sources emphasize this immune function.
- Blood Cell Regulation: The spleen helps regulate the levels of various blood cells, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. This contributes to overall blood health and the body's ability to fight infection and clot blood effectively.
- Hematopoiesis (in some cases): While primarily functioning in adults as a filter, the spleen can participate in blood cell production, particularly in fetal development. StatPearls and other sources mention this role, though it is less prominent in adults.
In Summary:
The spleen's primary functions are threefold: it filters blood, removes damaged cells, and helps fight infection. It also plays a supporting role in regulating blood cell levels and, in certain cases, blood cell production. The spleen's various functions contribute significantly to overall health and immune function. Children's Pittsburgh clearly highlights the blood filtering aspect as the spleen's main function.
