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SPLEEN
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
A large dark-red oval organ on the left side of the body between the stomach and the diaphragm; produces cells involved in immune responses
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Hypernyms ("spleen" is a kind of...):
lymphatic tissue; lymphoid tissue (tissue making up the lymphatic system)
Meronyms (parts of "spleen"):
arteria lienalis; lienal artery; splenic artery (an artery that originates from the celiac trunk and supplies blood to the spleen)
splenic vein; vena lienalis (a vein formed by several small veins on the surface of the spleen; joins the superior mesenteric to form the portal vein)
Holonyms ("spleen" is a part of...):
lymphatic system; systema lymphaticum (the interconnected system of spaces and vessels between body tissues and organs by which lymph circulates throughout the body)
Derivation:
splenetic; splenic (of or relating to the spleen)
Sense 2
Meaning:
A feeling of resentful anger
Synonyms:
irascibility; quick temper; short temper; spleen
Classified under:
Nouns denoting feelings and emotions
Hypernyms ("spleen" is a kind of...):
bad temper; ill temper (a persisting angry mood)
Derivation:
splenetic (very irritable)
Context examples:
The spleen helps keep harmful microorganisms out of the bloodstream.
(How the spleen keeps blood healthy, NIH)
This agent also stimulates the T-cell-dependent development of IgG-secreting B-cells in spleen cell cultures and may be an important regulator of megakaryocytopoiesis.
(Oprelvekin, NCI Thesaurus)
Representative examples include the heart, lung, liver, spleen, and uterus.
(Organ, NCI Thesaurus)
Platelets are found in the blood and spleen.
(Platelet, NCI Dictionary)
Emma shall be an angel, and I will keep my spleen to myself till Christmas brings John and Isabella.
(Emma, by Jane Austen)
SPI1 is an oncogene specifically activated in acute murine erythroleukemias, induced by the Friend spleen focus forming virus.
(Oncogene SPI1, NCI Thesaurus)
Treatments include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgery to remove the spleen, and targeted therapy.
(Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, NIH: National Cancer Institute)
It results in the accumulation of sphingomyelin in the liver, spleen, brain, lungs, and bone marrow.
(Niemann-Pick Disease, NCI Thesaurus)
The mice that formed CCMs also had abscesses in their spleens, which meant that the bacteria had entered the bloodstream from the initial abscess site.
(Researchers connect brain blood vessel lesions to intestinal bacteria, NIH)
The extra neutrophils may cause the spleen and liver to become enlarged.
(Chronic neutrophilic leukemia, NCI Dictionary)
