Multiple choice

Which organ has a role in clearing out red blood cells after the end of their life span?

  1. Bone marrow

  2. Liver

  3. Lungs

  4. Spleen

  5. Arteries
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Blood is made in the bone marrow and also in the spleen. Red blood cells only live for about 120 days. They are then cleared out by the spleen. Following removal of the spleen, the liver primarily takes over the role of filtering out the older red blood cells. Other organs may also contribute to red cell removal such as heart. However these other organs cannot completely compensate for the loss of the spleen.

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