How the spleen works 16 Articles

by Marie Gerber

While the spleen is not a vital organ, it does serve some fairly important functions. The spleen aids your body in fighting off infection and filters undesirable material, such as blood cells that are old or damaged. It al...read more

by Aldo Bonincontro

The spleen belongs to the lymphoid tissue and it's placed in the upper left side of the abdomen. Its form is flattened, triangular and prismatic; about 12 cm long, 6-7 cm wide and 3-4 cm thick. It weights about 200 g. I...read more

by A.R. Marth

"Out with his spleen!" On television medical dramas, the spleen seems like a disposable organ. Emergency care doctors are constantly removing them, dismissing them, and seem unconcerned with their function. Your spleen is...read more

by Erich Rosenberger M.D.

The spleen is one of those odd organs found in people which is often overlooked. It has an important role to play in keeping you healthy, but because it is not strictly necessary to live, the spleen often gets overshadowed...read more

by RobinvanAugusta

1. The spleen is an important part of the blood-forming, or hematopoietic, system; it is also one of the largest lymphoid organs in the body and as such is involved in the defenses against disease attributed to the reticul...read more

by Alison J

The spleen is found between your stomach and your diaphragm on the left side of your body. It works as a filter for your blood. The blood passes through the spleen where white blood cells (these are the infection-fightin...read more

by Rachelle de Bretagne

OVERVIEW The spleen is located just below the rib cage and upper stomach area on the left hand side of the body. This lymphatic organ is not a huge one, though it's function is important in protecting the body from inf...read more

by Eve Redstone

The spleen is a non-vital organ in the body, by which I mean that a person can survive without it. It is not a useless part of the body, as the appendix is, but we are quite capable of living without it. The spleen is f...read more

by Sandra Petersen

When I was in junior high a popular boy who had moved away from our area was involved in a car accident. His internal injuries were severe, his spleen had ruptured, and emergency surgery was performed to remove it. I remem...read more

by Dexter

Talking of the spleen," sends a wave of cold shiver down the spines of invading disease-causing organisms in body" because, the spleen is a member of the strongest "army" in the body. The spleen is the largest of the lymp...read more

by Krystle Hernandez

The human immune system is a complex structure which includes numerous interlocking sub-processes. Human beings begin to develop these complicated systems as early as the fetal period. As the fetus develops organs, the s...read more

by Will Kester

How does the spleen work? Just fine; thanks for asking. I almost lost it, though. I had never once even thought about my spleen, until it was damaged and we had to make a decision to remove it or try to repair it. ...read more

by M.L. Brooke

The spleen, the size of a tennis ball and located just underneath your heart, is one of the organs that produce and store chemicals that are vital to your immune system. It is also known as a Lymphoid organ. As a lymph...read more

by Claire Connolly

The lymphatic system is a sort of drainage system that helps balance the fluid levels in the body and defends against infections. It is a network of vessels that drain lymph fluid from around the body and one of the majo...read more

by C Davison

The spleen can almost be considered as two organs because on one hand it filters the blood and takes away the cells that aren't normal, and on the other it makes component to fight disease. Though red and pulpy outside,...read more

by Bambi

The spleen is a part of your immune or lymphatic system and acts as your bloods primary filter. The spleen is slightly larger than a tennis balls and is located under ribcage and stomach, below the heart on your left side....read more