Spleen microcirculation

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The spleen is an ovoid intraperitoneal organ located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen below the diaphragm. On the one hand, it is the largest lymphoid organ in the body and therefore has a role in immune surveillance, as well as the proliferation and maturation of lymphocytes. Contrastingly, it can be also seen as a "red blood cell graveyard" due to its role in the filtering and degradation of aged, malformed, and damaged erythrocytes. It also serves as a type of reservoir for healthy red blood cells and platelets.

The internal organization of the spleen morphologically reflects these primary functions and can be divided into two types of tissue: white and red pulp. The white pulp is defined by congregations of lymphoid nodules which are traversed by central arterioles. Surrounding this is the red pulp, a higher vascular tissue defined by splenic cords and venous sinuses.

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