['The spleen is not believed to contribute to hematopoiesis in healthy adults. However, several reports have demonstrated that the spleen in adults contains a large number of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSC). Although splenectomy increases platelet and leukocyte counts, the effects of splenectomy on circulating HSC have not been elucidated. In this study, we evaluated the association between the number of circulating HSC and splenectomy in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated liver cirrhosis (LC).', 'In 48 patients with various stages of HCV-associated chronic liver disease and seven patients with LC who underwent splenectomy, and 10 healthy volunteers, we determined the numbers of circulating CD34', 'The numbers of circulating CD34'] Does splenectomy increase the number of circulating hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in patients with hepatitis C virus-associated liver cirrhosis?