Which splenic component is primarily involved in filtering blood and contains venous sinuses?

Which splenic component is primarily involved in filtering blood and contains venous sinuses?

• A. Capsule
• B. Marginal zone
• C. Red pulp
• D. White pulp

Answer: (C)

The red pulp is where blood filtration primarily happens. It contains splenic cords (Cords of Billroth) and a network of venous sinuses lined by macrophages. As blood passes through these sinusoids, aged or abnormal red blood cells are trapped and phagocytosed, along with debris and pathogens, making it the main site for removing unwanted blood components. The white pulp is lymphoid tissue focused on immune responses to blood-borne antigens, organized around central arterioles, not on filtering blood. The marginal zone sits at the interface and helps capture antigens, but the hallmark feature here is the red pulp’s venous sinuses dedicated to blood filtration.

The red pulp is where blood filtration primarily happens. It contains splenic cords (Cords of Billroth) and a network of venous sinuses lined by macrophages. As blood passes through these sinusoids, aged or abnormal red blood cells are trapped and phagocytosed, along with debris and pathogens, making it the main site for removing unwanted blood components. The white pulp is lymphoid tissue focused on immune responses to blood-borne antigens, organized around central arterioles, not on filtering blood. The marginal zone sits at the interface and helps capture antigens, but the hallmark feature here is the red pulp’s venous sinuses dedicated to blood filtration.