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Haemopoietic cell composition of human fetal liver, spleen and thymus
S Sharma1, H P Pati, R K Ahuja
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
The haemopoietic cell composition of fetal liver, spleen and thymus was studied in human aborted fetuses of 12-22 weeks gestation. Erythroid cells were present primarily in liver and to a lesser extent in spleen. Orthochromatic normoblasts were the predominant erythroid component. Lymphoid cells were seen primarily in the thymus and to a lesser extent in the spleen. There were few granulocytic and megakaryocytic cells in all these organs. A few primitive haemopoietic cells (Haemocytoblasts) were identified only in liver. These observations indicate that during mid-fetal life (12-22 weeks) the liver contributes primarily to erythropoiesis, the thymus to lymphopoiesis, the spleen to both, and that there is a lack of granulopoiesis and megakaryopoiesis at these sites.
The haemopoietic cell composition of fetal liver, spleen and thymus was studied in human aborted fetuses of 12-22 weeks gestation. Erythroid cells were present primarily in liver and to a lesser extent in spleen. Orthochromatic normoblasts were the predominant erythroid component. Lymphoid cells were seen primarily in the thymus and to a lesser extent in the spleen. There were few granulocytic and megakaryocytic cells in all these organs. A few primitive haemopoietic cells (Haemocytoblasts) were identified only in liver. These observations indicate that during mid-fetal life (12-22 weeks) the liver contributes primarily to erythropoiesis, the thymus to lymphopoiesis, the spleen to both, and that there is a lack of granulopoiesis and megakaryopoiesis at these sites.