Microanatomy and Function of the Spleen

1 Introduction.- 2 Materials and Methods.- 2.1 Animal Spleens.- 2.2 Human Spleens.- 2.3 Antibodies.- 2.4 Single Staining Procedure for Immunohistology.- 2.5 Double Staining Procedure for Immunohistology.- 2.6 Demonstration of Acid Phosphatase in Cryostat Sections.- 2.7 Demonstration of Alkaline Phosphatase in Cryostat Sections.- 3 Microanatomical Compartments of the Rat Spleen.- 3.1 White Pulp.- 3.2 Red Pulp and Splenic Vessels.- 3.3 Summary.- 4 Microanatomical Compartments of the Human Spleen.- 4.1 White Pulp.- 4.2 Red Pulp and Splenic Vessels.- 4.3 Summary.- 5 Function of Splenic Compartments.- 5.1 Splenic White Pulp Compartments during Primary T Cell-Dependent Antibody Responses against Protein Antigens.- 5.2 Function of the Marginal Zone during Primary Antibody Responses against T Cell-Independent Type 2 Antigens.- 5.3 Function of the Red Pulp.- 5.4 Role of the Spleen in CD8+ Cytotoxic T Cell Responses.- 5.5 The Spleen, Natural Killer Cells and Gamma/Delta T Cells.- 6 Recirculation of Lymphocytes Through the Spleen.- 6.1 Summary.- 7 The Role of Cytokines and Chemokines in the Development of Splenic Compartments.- 7.1 Summary.- 8 Unsolved Problems of Human Splenic Structure and Function.- 8.1 Arterial Blood Supply to the Splenic Follicles and to the Perifollicular Zone.- 8.2 Blood Circulation in the Splenic Red Pulp: Subpopulations of Fibroblasts and their Role.- 8.3 Function of Sheathed Capillaries.- 8.4 Lymphocyte Migration in the Human Splenic White Pulp - A Hypothesis.- 9 Summary.- References.