Red pulp of spleen vs White pulp of spleen
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spleen red pulp white pulp anatomy histology site:nih.gov OR site:ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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spleen white pulp red pulp
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histology diagram of spleen white pulp red pulp central artery PALS splenic cords sinusoids
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Red pulp vs White pulp of spleen
| Feature | White pulp | Red pulp |
|---|---|---|
| Main role | Immune surveillance of blood-borne antigens | Filters blood and removes aged or abnormal blood cells |
| Appearance | Pale/white, due to dense lymphocytes | Red, due to abundant erythrocytes in vascular spaces |
| Proportion of spleen | About 20% | Most of the splenic parenchyma |
| Main components | Periarteriolar lymphoid sheath (PALS), lymphoid follicles/nodules, marginal zone | Splenic cords (cords of Billroth) and venous sinusoids |
| Predominant cells | T cells in the PALS; B cells in lymphoid follicles; also macrophages and dendritic cells | RBCs, macrophages, reticular cells, plasma cells, platelets |
| Relationship to artery | Organized around a central arteriole | Blood leaving white pulp enters cords/sinusoids of red pulp |
| What it does | Antigen presentation, lymphocyte activation, antibody production | Macrophages phagocytose old/damaged RBCs, recycle iron, clear microbes and particulate material; platelet reservoir |
| Microscopy clue | Basophilic, dark-blue lymphoid islands around a central arteriole | More eosinophilic/pink background with vascular sinusoids and cords |
High-yield memory aid
- White pulp = WBC immunity
- Red pulp = RBC removal
The white pulp consists of lymphoid nodules and T-cell-rich PALS, whereas the red pulp is composed of blood-filled sinusoids and splenic cords. Junqueira's Basic Histology - Text and Atlas, 17e, p. 714.
Microscopy difference
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spleen histology microscopy red pulp white pulp features H&E central arteriole sinusoids site:ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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spleen histology red pulp white pulp
Microscopic differences on H&E section
| Feature | White pulp | Red pulp |
|---|---|---|
| Overall look | Round or oval dark-blue/purple lymphoid islands | Surrounding pink-red, more diffuse tissue |
| Reason for staining | Densely packed lymphocyte nuclei are basophilic | Numerous erythrocytes plus vascular spaces produce red/pink appearance |
| Landmark | Central arteriole within the lymphoid tissue | No central arteriole as a defining feature |
| Central arteriole position | Often eccentric within a lymphoid follicle | Not applicable |
| Cell arrangement | Dense lymphocytes forming: PALS (T-cell zone) and follicles (B-cell zone) | Loose network of reticular tissue containing RBCs, macrophages, lymphocytes, and plasma cells |
| Vascular spaces | No prominent sinusoids | Many irregular, elongated venous sinusoids |
| Special structures | PALS around arteriole; lymphoid follicle may show a pale germinal center | Splenic cords of Billroth between sinusoids |
| Boundary | Marginal zone at the edge of white pulp | Continues beyond marginal zone |
How to identify in a slide
- Locate a dark, circular lymphocyte-rich area.
- Find the small artery inside it: this is white pulp.
- The broad, pink-red tissue around it with slit-like vascular channels is red pulp.
- Slit-like spaces are sinusoids and intervening cellular tissue is splenic cord.
One-line viva answer:
White pulp is dark-staining lymphoid tissue arranged around a central arteriole, whereas red pulp is a pink-red meshwork of splenic cords and blood-filled sinusoids.
White pulp is dark-staining lymphoid tissue arranged around a central arteriole, whereas red pulp is a pink-red meshwork of splenic cords and blood-filled sinusoids.
Junqueira's Basic Histology - Text and Atlas, 17e, pp. 714-716.
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