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Updated: Jun 24, 2026
A Mouse Model of Vascularized Heterotopic Spleen Transplantation for Studying Spleen Cell Biology and Transplant Immunity
Published on: June 11, 2019
Experimental study of the effects of splenectomy and partial splenectomy on bacterial translocation
A Baykal1, C Aydin, G Hasçelik
1Department of General Surgery, Hacettepe University School of Medicine. baykal@ ceng.metu.edu.tr
Background:
The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of splenectomy and partial splenectomy in a burn-induced bacterial translocation model and to study Kupffer cell (KC) morphology and number.
Methods:
Mice were divided into sham-burn and burn groups. Each group was also subdivided to sham-splenectomy, partial-splenectomy, and splenectomy subgroups. At day 0, operations were performed. At the postoperative 10th day, a sham burn or burn injury was made in all animals. Twenty-four hours later, cultures for bacterial translocation were obtained and livers were evaluated for the quantity and morphology of KCs.
Results:
Burned-splenectomized animals had significantly decreased bacterial translocation when compared with sham-splenectomized animals (p = 0.031). Interestingly, in both the sham-burned and burned groups, splenectomy subgroups had significantly higher numbers of KCs compared with partial-splenectomy and sham-splenectomy subgroups (p<0.00000). Burn injury caused a significant decrease of KC numbers in all subgroups compared with their correspondent sham-burned subgroups (p<0.05).
Conclusion:
Results revealed that splenectomy decreases bacterial translocation and also increases the number of KCs.
