title: Haemopoietic cell composition of human fetal liver, spleen and thymus.
abstract: The haemopoietic cell composition of fetal liver, spleen and thymus was studied in human aborted fetuses of 12-22 weeks gestation. Erythroid cells were present primarily in liver and to a lesser extent in spleen. Orthochromatic normoblasts were the predominant erythroid component. Lymphoid cells were seen primarily in the thymus and to a lesser extent in the spleen. There were few granulocytic and megakaryocytic cells in all these organs. A few primitive haemopoietic cells (Haemocytoblasts) were identified only in liver. These observations indicate that during mid-fetal life (12-22 weeks) the liver contributes primarily to erythropoiesis, the thymus to lymphopoiesis, the spleen to both, and that there is a lack of granulopoiesis and megakaryopoiesis at these sites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Pati
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Ahuja
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Takkar
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kochupillai
mesh_terms: D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000502:physiology; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*