Scientists have once again proved that mankind still has a lot to learn about the human body, having discovered a new organ, which is called the "mesentery". The mesentery is part of the human digestive system. The researchers believe it needs to be studied further to better understand the functions and progress in disease treatment.
Does the human body contain a previously unknown organ?
Previously, this organ was considered as several separate structures, and only recently it was proved that all these structures represent a single organ. The four-year study that proved the existence of the mesentery was led by Calvin Coffey, professor of surgery at the University of Limerick. "In the results of the study, which have been peer-reviewed by other scientists and processed in the smallest detail, we declare that there is an organ in the human body that has not been recognized as such until now," said Professor Coffey.
“The anatomical description that was created over a hundred years ago is not correct from an anatomical point of view. This body is not fragmented and complex. It is one continuous structure,”he continued.
What it is?
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What does this organ look like? It is the double fold of the peritoneum, the lining that attaches the human intestine to the abdominal wall. In fact, the mesentery was even described by Leonardo da Vinci, but most doctors did not pay attention to it, since it was not considered as a separate organ.
It is currently not known in detail what exactly the mesentery does. Moreover, scientists are not even sure to which of the body systems this organ should be attributed. According to the study's results, "It is not yet clear whether the mesentery is related to the intestinal, vascular, endocrine, cardiovascular or immune systems, as it plays an important role in each of these systems."
What's next?
Further study of the mesentery may be a key factor in the development of new treatments for abdominal and digestive tract diseases. “If we look at the mesentery the way any other organ is viewed, we can classify abdominal diseases in terms of that organ,” explained Professor Coffey. Moreover, the professor believes that a whole branch of science is needed that would allow a more detailed study of this organ and its features, such as gastroenterology or neurology. “This is relevant everywhere, as it affects all people. Until today, there was no branch of science that would study the mesentery. Now we have determined the anatomical structure of the organ. The next step is to define its functions. If we can understand the functions of the organ, we can also understand the deviations from these functions,and then we can go out to diseases. Put it all together and you have a complete science section that studies the mesentery,”he said.
The new organ has already been recognized as such by the medical community, and medical students are now examining the mesentery from a new perspective.