Regeneration of splenic autotransplants in suckling and adult rats.

Homogenates of splenic tissue were autotransplanted within the peritoneal cavity of suckling and adult Sprague-Dawley rats after total splenectomy. All suckling animals had multiple regenerated splenic nodules when killed four months later, but in only 55% was splenic tissue visible by technetium Tc 99m sulfur colloid scan. Splenic tissue was recovered in one of ten adult animals, but the nodule was not visible by scan. The results of this study imply that revascularization of autotransplants might be more successful in a growing than in a mature host. Nuclear scans, although useful, do not always visualize small regenerated splenic autotransplants.