Electron microscopic study of age-related changes in the spleen of the cat

Abstract

The spleen is involved in several immunological and physiological activities. The spleen serves as a “reservoir” of red blood cells, and their rapid release is correlated with the development of the capsule and the trabeculae. The spleen is a site of hematopoietic activity in the early stages of life. Investigations of age-related changes in megakaryocytopoiesis has been conducted on the rat spleen. Age-dependent changes which influence the microenvironment may lead to a decrease in the hematopoiesis and lymphocytic response. The decrease of immune response in aged animals has been investigated.The decline of immunological activity in animals and humans, increases susceptibility to infectious disease and malignancy. Splenic structure and age-related changes has been studied in rats and other mammalian species. However, there is no information on the changes which occur with age in the spleen of the cat. Therefore, this preliminary study, using cats of varying ages (prenatal to adult), was done to prepare for a quantitative study.