The appendix has long been shrouded in mystery. It is considered a worthless evolutionary throwback whose sole purpose is to induce appendicitis. Nevertheless, a research group of doctors has a theory about what purpose this small organ might serve.
Scientists at the College of Osteopathic Medicine at the University of Arizona have been working on research that suggests the appendix may serve as a "reservoir" for beneficial gut bacteria.
Vestigial organ
This organ is a vermiform appendage and is an appendage of the cecum. In the past, it has been widely regarded as a "vestigial organ" that does not perform any known function in the body of modern humans. Charles Darwin was the first to suggest that the appendix may be a vestigial organ left over from an evolutionary ancestor that was previously used to digest leaves. However, it is strange that only a few mammals have this organ.
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Evolutionary history of the appendix
In their study, Assistant Professor of Anatomy Heather Smith and her team traced the evolutionary history of the appendix by studying the cecum of 533 different mammalian species, from beavers and rabbits to wombats and kuzu. Their study showed that the appendix developed in several strains of mammals completely independently of each other. It is interesting not only how this appendage appeared, but also the fact that it almost never disappeared. This led scientists to believe that the appendix might serve some useful function.
Research scientists
The study was to determine if environmental factors such as diet, climate and habitat of the animal could correlate with which species had an appendage. Instead, the scientists found that appendix species have a higher average concentration of lymphoid tissue in the cecum in the lower abdomen, which plays a key role in generating an immune response.
Research over the past few years has shown that lymphatic tissue can also contribute to the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. This led the team to conclude that this organ plays a role in the immune system, in particular as a "safe house" for beneficial gut bacteria. This also means that it does not develop on its own, but is part of a larger complex.
At this stage, the theory cannot be fully confirmed, but, at least, scientists were finally able to find some role for the appendix in our lives.
Anna Pismenna