Spleen: Crossroad between Immune System, Metabolic Asset and Endocrine Function

Dear Colleagues,

Due to the view that the “spleen is useless”, research on this organ has lagged behind that of other organs. Since 1952, when King and Schumacker reported overwhelming post-splenectomy infection, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of the spleen in the human body. On the other hand, physicians often encounter spleen enlargement, i.e., splenomegaly, which is almost always a consequence of other disorders. Hypersplenism is a secondary process that can arise from splenomegaly of almost any cause. In recent years, following in-depth studies of spleen organization and structure, cell function, secretion and innervations, a better understanding of the function of the spleen has been gained. It was initially accepted that the spleen not only filters blood, but, rather, is an important regulation center of the body’s immune-metabolic-endocrine network. However, a number of questions have arisen: Is the spleen a player or a bystander, and what are the roles of some cytokines, adipokines/growth factors and neurotransmitters in this complex mechanism? Furthermore, what is the contribution of the spleen to obesity-related diseases? Finally, does spleen contribute to the complex network between trace elements or environmental particulate matter and immunity?

Prof. Dr. Giovanni Tarantino
Guest Editor

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