Editing Spleen (section)

=== Blood supply ===
[[File:Gray1188.png|200px|thumb|Visceral surface of the spleen]]
Near the middle of the spleen is a long fissure, the [[hilum (anatomy)|hilum]], which is the point of attachment for the [[gastrosplenic ligament]] and the point of insertion for the [[splenic artery]] and [[splenic vein]]. There are other openings present for [[lymphatic vessel]]s and [[nerve]]s. In addition to the splenic artery, collateral blood supply is provided by the adjacent short gastric arteries.<ref>{{cite journal | url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6730702/|title=The collateral arterial network of the spleen following ligation of the splenic artery in traumatic rupture of the spleen; an arteriographic study|date=1984 |pmid=6730702 |last1=Keramidas |first1=D. C. |last2=Kelekis |first2=D. |last3=Dolatzas |first3=T. |last4=Aivazoglou |first4=T. |last5=Voyatzis |first5=N. |journal=Zeitschrift für Kinderchirurgie |volume=39 |issue=1 |pages=50–51 |doi=10.1055/s-2008-1044169 |s2cid=29302459 }}</ref>

Like the [[thymus]], the spleen possesses only [[efferent lymphatic vessels]]. The spleen is part of the [[lymphatic system]]. Both the [[short gastric arteries]] and the splenic artery supply it with blood.<ref>{{Cite book
| publisher = Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
| isbn = 978-0-7817-7076-7
| last = Blackbourne
| first = Lorne H
| title = Surgical recall
| year = 2008
| page = [https://archive.org/details/surgicalrecall00blac/page/259 259]
| url-access = registration
| url = https://archive.org/details/surgicalrecall00blac/page/259
}}</ref>

The [[germinal center]]s are supplied by [[arteriole]]s called ''penicilliary radicles''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/penicilliary+radicles |title=Penicilliary radicles |publisher=Medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com |access-date=2011-04-03}}</ref>