Does splenectomy havre an effect on the immune function and life of old white rats?

Due to age involution, the spleen stops to fulfil its functions as the immune system peripheral organ in people of elderly and senile age. For the clinical picture, it is extremely important to find out which changes in the immunity function and - conseguently - in life time can be a result of therapeutic spelenectomy. The aim of the research is to perform comparative assessment of the morphological state of the immune system peripheral organs and of the lafe time between intact and splenectomized old white rats. Material and methods. The paper presents the study of the structure of mesenteric lymph nodes, the greater omentum and the liver in nonlinear splenectomized old white rats (n=25) at the light optical and submicroscopic levels. The controls were intact old white rats (n=7) of the same age as the splenectomized rats. The results of the study have attested a marked stimulation of the immune system of the mesenteric lymph nodes and the greater omentum as well as increased (4-6 monthd loger) life time of splenectomized old white rats as compared to the intact old white rats.