Embryo (Stage 13) Dorsal Mesogastrium |
The spleen is located on the left side of the abdomen and has a role initially in blood and then immune system development. The spleen's haematopoietic function (blood cell formation) is lost with embryo development and lymphoid precursor cells migrate into the developing organ. Vascularization of the spleen arises initially by branches from the dorsal aorta. Mesoderm within the dorsal mesogastrium form a long strip of cells adjacent to the forming stomach above the developing pancreas. |
Human embryo (Stage 22) Spleen |
Adult Spleen and ligamentous attachments |
Page Links: Introduction | Recent Findings | Development Overview | Histology | Abnormalities | Glossary |References |
Related Pages: Cardiovascular System - Blood
Ontogeny of reticular framework of white pulp and marginal zone in human spleen: immunohistochemical studies of fetal spleens from the 17th to 40th week of gestation. Satoh T, Sakurai E, Tada H, Masuda T. Cell Tissue Res. 2009 May;336(2):287-97. PMID: 1925578
Amir Asayesh, James Sharpe, Robert P. Watson, Jacob Hecksher-Sørensen, Nicholas D. Hastie, Robert E. Hill and Ulf Ahlgren Spleen versus pancreas: strict control of organ interrelationship revealed by analyses of Bapx1–/– mice. Genes and Development 20:2208-2213, 2006
"During early stages of pancreatic development, the mesenchyme that contributes to the spleen overlies the dorsal pancreatic endoderm. Here, we show that interactions between splenic mesenchyme and pancreas proceed via a highly orchestrated morphogenetic program. ...Similar transformations occur in organ cultures employing wild-type pancreatic endoderm and spleen mesenchyme, revealing the developmental plasticity of the pancreas and that precise spatial and temporal control of tissue interactions are required for development of both organs."
Fetal and early post-natal development of the human spleen: from primordial arterial B cell lobules to a non-segmented organ. Steiniger B, Ulfig N, Risse M, Barth PJ. Histochem Cell Biol. 2007 Sep;128(3):205-15. Epub 2007 Jul 12. PMID: 17624541
"Immunohistological analysis of 31 human spleens from the 11th week of gestation to the early postnatal period suggested that fetal organ development may be preliminarily divided into four stages."
Drayton DL, Liao S, Mounzer RH, Ruddle NH. Lymphoid organ development: from ontogeny to neogenesis. Nat Immunol. 2006 Apr;7(4):344-53. Review
"... At one end are the 'canonical' secondary lymphoid organs, including lymph nodes and spleen; at the other end are 'ectopic' or tertiary lymphoid organs, which are cellular accumulations arising during chronic inflammation by the process of lymphoid neogenesis."
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The human spleen arises in week 5 within the dorsal mesogastrium as proliferating mesenchyme overlying the dorsal pancreatic endoderm. Cells required for its hemopoietic function arise from the yolk sac wall and near dorsal aorta. The spleen generates both red and white cells in the 2nd trimester. Note that many embryonic RBCs remain nucleated. |
Congenital absence of the spleen is usually accompanied by complex cardiac malformations, malposition and maldevelopment of the abdominal organs, and abnormal lobation of the lungs. (from OMIM)
Connexin-43 involved with abnormal spleen development (cardiac and lung also).
Reviews
Drayton DL, Liao S, Mounzer RH, Ruddle NH. Lymphoid organ development: from ontogeny to neogenesis. Nat Immunol. 2006 Apr;7(4):344-53.
Shapiro-Shelef M, Calame K. Regulation of plasma-cell development. Nat Rev Immunol. 2005 Mar;5(3):230-42. Review.
Straub RH. Complexity of the bi-directional neuroimmune junction in the spleen. Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2004 Dec;25(12):640-6. Review.
Balliu PR, Bregante J, Perez-Velasco MC, Fiol M, Galiana C, Herrera M, Mulet J. Splenic haemorrhage in a newborn as the first manifestation of wandering spleen syndrome. J Pediatr Surg. 2004 Feb;39(2):240-2. Review.
Chadburn A. The spleen: anatomy and anatomical function. Semin Hematol. 2000 Jan;37(1 Suppl 1):13-21.
Lane PA. The spleen in children. Curr Opin Pediatr. 1995 Feb;7(1):36-41. Review.
Search NCBI Bookshelf: Spleen Development
Search PubMed: Search August 2006 "Spleen Development" 13,401 reference articles of which 450 were reviews.
Search term = Spleen Development
Use the alphabetical list below to find definitions of terms that are new to you or use the Google search window to search UNSW Embryology site.
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gastrosplenic ligament - (gastrolienal ligament, ligamentum gastrosplenicum) derived from the dosal mesogastrium (mesentery) connects the spleen to the stomach as part of the greater omentum.
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This section of gastrointestinal tract notes gives an overview of spleen development. This is an example of a visceral organ that during development has several changing roles and also has an asymetrical location within the abdomen.
Long considered a dispensible organ, recent research has identified the spleen as the site of stem cells (with potential therapeutic applications) that can differentiate into several different lineages.
Other recent studies have looked at the relationship between the coordinated development of the pancreas, which it overlies, and the spleen using "knockout mice".
Please email Dr Mark Hill if you wish to make a comment about this current project.
