A new computer model has been developed that shows how the human spleen filters blood. The model, which was created by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, could help to improve the understanding of how the spleen plays a role in diseases such as sickle cell anemia and malaria.

The spleen is a fist-sized organ that sits on the left side of the abdomen. It is made up of a network of blood vessels and tissues that filter blood and remove waste products. The spleen also plays a role in the production of red blood cells and white blood cells.

The new computer model is able to simulate the flow of blood through the spleen and how it interacts with the different tissues and cells. The model shows that the spleen is able to effectively filter blood and remove waste products, even when the blood is flowing at high speeds.

The researchers believe that the new computer model could be used to improve the understanding of how the spleen plays a role in diseases such as sickle cell anemia and malaria. In sickle cell anemia, the red blood cells are sickle-shaped and can get stuck in the spleen, causing pain and other symptoms. In malaria, the parasite that causes the disease can infect the red blood cells and cause them to burst, leading to anemia and other symptoms.

The computer model could be used to study how these diseases affect the spleen and to develop new treatments for these diseases.

Source:

"Computer model demonstrates how human spleen filters blood." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 16 March 2017. .