Question

Which one of the following human organs is often called the ‘Graveyard’ of RBCs?
A. Kidney
B. Spleen
C. Liver
D. Gallbladder

Answer 1

RBCs have a lifespan of 120 days and thus, are made and destroyed regularly. When the red blood cells die they attract auto-antibodies and undergo lysis. This occurs in an organ that is situated in the upper left region of the abdomen. It is dark red in colour and functions as a large lymph node.

Complete answer: Red blood cells are oxygen-carrying transporting cells that have a short life of 120 days. Every second, millions of red blood cells die and new cells are formed. The RBCs circulate throughout the body and carry dead cells along with them until they reach the spleen. The spleen is a dark reddish-brown organ located just above the abdominal region in the upper left region of the abdomen. It lies next to the stomach and produces lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are immune cells and hence help to filter blood from foreign substances. Along with this important function, the macrophages in the spleen help digesting the dead RBCs. Once the RBCs die the auto-antibodies attach to them. Further, these auto-antibodies are recognized by macrophages in the spleen. This causes the destruction of dead RBCs. For this reason, the spleen is called the ‘graveyard’ of the human body. It acts like a large lymph node. It is found in almost every vertebrate. It acts as a primary blood filter of the body.
Hence, option B is the correct answer.

Note: The spleen not only is the site of destruction of old RBCs, but it also is a reserve for blood cells. This can be useful in case of hemorrhagic shock and also helps in recycling iron. The heme groups present in the haemoglobin of dead red blood cells are converted into bilirubin which is filtered by the liver.