Intermediary Circulation in the Human Spleen

Abstract

SummaryThe intermediary splenic circulation under the influence of adrenaline and noradrenaline was studied by external radioactivity measurements of the lienal, cardial, auricotemporal and hepatal areas after the intravenous injection of autologous 51Cr-labelled erythrocytes or artificial spherocytes. The radioactivity decrease in the lienal area and a simultaneaus increase in the precordial area can be explained by the outflow of the concentrated erythrocytes from the spleen. The normal lienal erythrocyte depot was proved only by means of the intravenous application of noradrenaline. The artificial spherocytes pass a contracted spleen continuously; the accumulated spherocytes can be discharged from the spleen. In the case of portal hypertension short radioactivity increases and decreases can be observed and seem to be due to the autonomous filling and emptying of the sinusoids. Fear produces short filling and emptying of lienal sinusoids.The above findings seem to support the view that the human spleen is provided with an intermediary circulation similar to that found by Kniseley in the mouse spleen.