The role of Spleen in development of lympho‐hemopoietic tissues: Effect of splenectomy on development of blood cells, bone marrow, thymus and lymph node

Abstract

The effects of splenectomy at birth and two and four weeks of age on the development of lymphoid and hematopoietic tissues has been compared in C3H/Bi mice. During the neonatal period normal mice showed changes in total leukocyte count, and in absolute members of the specific cell types. The predominant changes included an initial fall of numbers of granulocytes and steady increase in numbers of lymphocytes during the first six weeks of life. Neonatal splenectomy interfered with the normal developmental pattern by interfering with normal growth of numbers of circulating lymphocytes while splenectomy at two and four weeks of age produced increases in numbers of both circulating lymphocytes and granulocytes. Neonatal splenectomy produced effects on development of bone marrow, peripheral lymph nodes and thymus. The major influence seemed to involve decrease in percentages o f small, densely stained lymphocytes in thymus and peripheral lymph nodes.

Mortality and Five Classes of Mouse Immunoglobulins in Early Splenectomy

“…In our other previous studies [3,7,8], we have shown that splenecto my early in life leads to a shift of population from predominantly small thymocytes to thymocytes of medium size in the thymus. This interesting influence is coupled with a change in the cellular composition of the bone marrow and a decrease of circulating small lymphocytes in the peripheral blood.…”