Spleen: A new role for an old player? (original) (raw)

The spleen could be considered a neglected organ. To date, it has been deemed an ancillary organ in portal hypertension or an organ localization in lymphopro� liferative diseases, even though it has had significant attention in infectious diseases for some time. Now, it is thought to be central in regulating the immune sys� tem, a metabolic asset and involved in endocrine func� tion with regard to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The main mechanisms involved in this complex network will be critically discussed in this article.