Splenic transposition with ligation of the vascular pedicle in rodents. Immunological consequences.

By splenic subcutaneous transposition and ligation of the vascular pedicle, the direct relation spleen-liver was interrupted in rodents infected with malaria. It was demonstrated that in this situation detoxification of the liver and recovery from malaria was evidently hampered by the lack of a direct splenic cell supply, due to retardation of the homing and differentiation in the spleen of precursors of immunologically competent cells. In the presence of blood-borne antigens and/or hepatotoxins, this simple 'shunt' operation appears to constitute a serious immunological handicap. However, it may be a useful model for the study of cellular and microenvironmental interrelationships of the immune response versus blood-borne antigens.