[Respiratory gas exchange and glucose uptake by the human spleen in situ (author's transl)].

Blood samples were taken from the splenic artery, vein and pulp of 16 patients suffering from lymphoproliferative diseases, essential thrombocytopenia or hereditary spherocytosis and undergoing early splenectomy. The relevant parameters of the respiratory gas exchange as well as glucose and lactate concentrations were determined in these samples. In no case did the thorough examination of the splenic tissue reveal any histopathologic aspects. Taking into account a mean splenic blood flow of 100 ml/100 g/min during anaesthesia, the mean oxygen consumption of the splenic tissue attains 1.1 ml/100 g/min. The glucose uptake and the lactate release show to be 9 mg/100 g/min and 5.2 mg/100 g/min, respectively. Despite high glucose uptake rates and pronounced glycolytic activities there is no evidence of the existence of low pH values, a glucose depletion or hypoxia in the normal spleen. In the normal spleen, therefore, the intrasplenic sequestration of red blood cells cannot be explained by unfavourable metabolic conditions.