The Spleen is an organ for the most part everyone thinks they know about, yet how many actually might know it is important to the immunity system? This large organ about the size of your fist is located on the left side of your belly and tucked under your ribs.
The spleen’s part it plays in the immunity system is simple enough, it is the meeting place for all the immune system’s cells. Blood routes to the spleen where the cells circulate allowing them to provide information on what they have seen and essentially learned, what they have killed and what antibodies they made.
The spleen also has the deciding vote on which blood cell has gotten too old and once, that decision is made that cell is taken out, disassembled and then, its is again recyled.
Amazing as all this sounds, and how important it all is, and sounds, you can still live without your spleen. Years ago, it was customary for those with Lymphoma to have it removed, but, now medical science knows that although we can live without it, removing it does impair the immunity system. Although I was heading into a stage 4, my spleen was never removed. Probably a right thing to do was to leave it, thus, allowing my already compromised immunity system hopingfully all it needed and needs to recupperate from the invader of cancer.
In the event the spleen ruptures or is removed the liver can take over it functions. Yet, those without a spleen are more susceptible to infections and other nasties.
The heart pumps the blood around the body about once every minute, which means each blood cell might find itself in the spleen about 1,400 times a day.
It is food for thought, as to how many trips it might make before the spleen decides it is too old for another.