Scientists have recently discovered what they are calling a new human organ that exists in the digestive system.
While mesentery’s presence was always known, it was considered a fragmented structure in our digest systems. It wasn’t until now that it has been classified as the separate continuous organ.
J Calvin Coffey, the researcher behind the study, published the evidence of the organ in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Herpetology. The new finding changes how the entire anatomical structure was perceived. “The anatomic description that had been laid down over 100 years of anatomy was incorrect. This organ is far from fragmented and complex. It is simply one continuous structure,” Coffey said.
The mesentery is a double fold of the peritoneum, which is the lining of the abdominal cavity. It connects the intestine to the abdomen. While the mesentery’s specific function is still unknown, studying it as an organ could lead to new discoveries about its impact on abdominal diseases.
The new found organ will not change the way our body operates but it opens up an entirely new field of medical science. “When we approach it like every other organ… we can categorise abdominal disease in terms of this organ,” said Coffey.
The organ has been added to Gray’s Anatomy series – the world’s best medical textbooks.