Hallu, nice to see you posting.
I find what you say very interesting also, as I have not heard of the spleen actually producing cells, since it's part of the lymp system and actually filters the blood. It engulfs all the old/dying red cells and breaks it down into bilirubin. I'll have to research this as well. Thanks. ![:smileblue](http://www.thalassemiapatientsandfriends.com/Smileys/classic/smile_blue.gif)
Danielle/All,
I came across this piece of info and thought to share with you all :
Hypersplenism
Many patients with thalassaemia major experience
problems of the spleen - a soft, purplish organ about
the size of a fist, located on the left-hand side just
below the diaphragm, under the ribs . A normal
spleen contains 20-30ml of red blood cells. However, in
patients with persistent moderate to severe anaemia
as a result of inappropriate blood transfusion, the spleen
may hold a litre (1000ml) or more of blood. This is
because the spleen *produces extra red blood cells* in
a process known as extra med-ullary erythropoeisis - i.e.
the synthesis of red blood cells outside the normal site
of production, the bone marrow - in an effort to help
the body overcome anaemia.
--Source :
http://www.thalassaemia.org.cy/books/ABOUTTHA.PDFPage 76
--Hallu