Red bone marrow is the soft blood-forming tissue inside bones, where all red cells, white cells and platelets are made from stem cells. It is classed as a primary lymphoid organ because B cells develop here and T cell precursors start here before moving to the thymus. In children it fills almost all bones; in adults it is mainly in the skull, vertebrae, ribs, sternum, pelvis and the upper ends of the femur and humerus.
| Location | Within the spongy (cancellous) bone of the axial skeleton and limb girdles in adults, and within most bones in children |
|---|---|
| Secretes |
|
| Blood Supply | Nutrient arteries of bones; Periosteal and metaphyseal arteries |
| Venous drainage |
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Produces all blood cells (haematopoiesis), supports B cell maturation and releases T cell precursors to the thymus.
Marrow samples are usually taken from the posterior iliac crest, and from the sternum by aspiration in some adults. Marrow failure from aplastic anaemia, leukaemia, chemotherapy or infiltration by cancer causes anaemia, infection and bleeding. Stem cell (bone marrow) transplantation is used to treat many blood cancers and marrow failure syndromes. Under severe demand, yellow marrow can convert back to red marrow.
Cancer of blood-forming cells in the marrow that crowds out normal production, causing anaemia, infections and bleeding.
Failure of the marrow to produce enough of all blood cell types, often immune-mediated.
A cancer of marrow plasma cells causing bone pain, fractures, anaemia, kidney damage and high calcium.
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