| Summary: | The spleen, the lymph nodes and the mucosa associated lymphoid accumulations are the secondary lymphoid organs of man, which, through their specific structure and cellular content, accept lymphocytes from the marrow and the circulation and process them by the appropriate mechanisms in order to make them immunologically competent. In parallel, the spleen accepts a large number of other types of blood cells, retains and destroys those which are aged or abnormal and releases the rest back in the circulation. Furthermore, the spleen removes from the circulation various cellular and nuclear debris as well as bacteria and parasites. The function of these organs may be disturbed in various instances and result in various pathologic conditions. The latter are grouped in two categories: the benign conditions, which are described in this chapter and the malignant conditions which are presented in chapters 11-14.
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