Microanatomy and Function of the Spleen

This publication provides the first comprehensive review of human splenic microanatomy in correlation with up-to-date information on the immunological function of different splenic compartments. The authors provide an inter-species comparison of splenic microstructure in humans and rats to highlight the species-specific peculiarities of human spleens revealed by immunohistology. The finer structure of human B- and T-cell compartments and their surroundings is defined in detail based on the nomenclature established in rodent immunology. The authors review the typical microscopical features of an antibody response in the spleen of rodents. All information on vascular structures, lymphocytes, special macrophage and fibroblast populations is finally integrated into a hypothesis of lymphocyte recirculation through the human spleen.