Final answer:
The splenic artery divides the spleen into lobulated sections at the hilum, facilitating the spleen's role in blood filtration and immune response through white and red pulp. These sections are integral for the splenic functions associated with blood cleansing and adaptive immunity. The splenic artery originates from the celiac trunk, which is a branch of the abdominal aorta.
Step-by-step explanation:
The splenic artery is responsible for delivering blood to the spleen, an organ with a key role in the circulatory and immune systems. At the hilum of the spleen, the splenic artery divides the organ into several lobulated sections. Each section contains white and red pulp, where the white pulp is associated with immune functions through lymphoid follicles, resembling those found in lymph nodes, and the red pulp functions primarily in the filtration of blood.
Blood supply in the spleen starts with the branching of the splenic artery into smaller arterioles, which subsequently split into sinusoids within the spleen. This network allows for the filtration of blood and the immune response activation within the white pulp, which surrounds a central arteriole in each nodule. This region is where adaptive immune responses occur, with B cells and T cells mounting a defense against pathogens.
The abdominal aorta is the major artery from which the splenic artery originates. After the abdominal aorta passes through the diaphragm, it becomes embedded in adipose tissue and gives rise to several important branches including the celiac trunk. The splenic artery is one of the three major branches of this trunk, along with the left gastric artery and the common hepatic artery, playing a pivotal role in blood supply to the spleen.