To the 78 organs that make up the human body, a group of scientists says we should add one more: the mesentery.
Located in our abdominal cavity, the mesentery is a belt of tissue that holds our intestines in place. While anatomists knew it was there, it was always thought to be composed of several different segments, as opposed to being one single structure. This knocked it out of contention for organ status, as our bodily organs must be continuous, as well as provide some vital function to ouranatomy.
Read more: The Mesentery Isn't the Organ You Think It Is
A new study from researchers at the University Hospital Limerick reveals that the mesentery is actually one single band of tissue, beginning at the pancreas and continuing down through the small intestine and colon, wrapping around these vital organs to hold them tight and help them maintain their structure. It is made of a folded-over ribbon of peritoneum, a type of tissue usually found lining the abdominal cavity.
“Without it you can’t live,” says J. Calvin Coffey, a Limerick University Hospital researcher and colorectal surgeon. “There are no reported instances of ahom*o sapienliving without a mesentery.”
It was by peeling away the peritoneum and repeated observations that Coffey built his case for the mesentery. In 2012, Coffey’s team determined the mesentery was indeed a single, connected structure. In this most recent study, published inThe Lancet,Coffey’steam outlines evidence collected over four years that it says affirms the mesentery’s organ status.The mesentery is highly integrated with the intestine, he says, and is located in an area of the human body that has not been fully explored — we still, apparently, contain new frontiers.
And, according toThe Independent, the seminal medical textbook Gray’s Anatomy was updated in 2015to include the new definition of the mesentery. However, Coffey isn’t exactly sure when an organ isofficiallyan organ.
“That’s a fascinating question. I actually don’t know who the final arbiter of that is,” says Coffey.
In apes and other creatures that walk on all fours, he says that the structure of the mesentery, and the organs it supports, is slightly different, which affects the layout of their guts. Understanding how and why our digestive system is arranged the way it is could be crucial to our understanding of diseases like Crohn’s and irritable bowel syndrome.
“There are a lot of disease that we are stalled on, and we need to refresh our approach to these diseases,” Coffey says. “Now that we’ve clarified its structure, we can systematically examine it. We’re at a very exciting place right now.”
The era of mesenteric science hastaken a new turn.
FAQs
The mesentery is an organ that attaches the intestines to the posterior abdominal wall in humans and is formed by the double fold of the peritoneum. It helps in storing fat and allowing blood vessels, lymphatics, and nerves to supply the intestines, among other functions.
Which is the 79th organ of the human body? ›
The mesentery is an organ that attaches the intestines to the posterior abdominal wall in humans and is formed by the double fold of the peritoneum. It helps in storing fat and allowing blood vessels, lymphatics, and nerves to supply the intestines, among other functions.
What is the mesentery organ in the human body? ›
The mesentery is found in your abdomen, where it attaches to your intestines. It comes from the area on the back side of your abdomen where your aorta (a main artery) branches off to another large artery called the superior mesenteric artery.
What is the 80th organ of the human body? ›
Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed as “interstitium”. This is the 80th organ of human body.
What was the human body 79th organ discovered in 2017? ›
The intestinal border of the mesentery averages about six and a half meters in length. We also know that in the obese, the mesentery also accrues a buildup of fat. Now it has been redefined as your 79th organ.
Can you live without mesentery? ›
Regardless of how the mesentery is classified it is an important part of the human body and integral to the health of the intestines and gastrointestinal tract. While parts of the mesentery may be removed due to illness or injury, removing the entire mesentery is not possible.
Are there 78 or 79 organs? ›
The human body contains a total of seventy-eight major organs. These organs work together to form a variety of organ systems.
What is the importance of the mesentery in the human body? ›
The mesentery attaches the intestines to the abdominal wall, and also helps storing the fat and allows the blood and lymph vessels, as well as the nerves, to supply the intestines. This article will discuss all the compartments of the mesentery from both anatomical and functional aspect.
What are the diseases of the mesentery? ›
Such conditions include primary or metastatic mesentery cancer, gastrointestinal lymphoma, desmoid tumors, inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), Crohn's disease, idiopathic nodular panniculitis, locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma, retroperitoneal fibrosis and other sclerotic diseases as mentioned above.
What does mesentery feel like? ›
The most common symptom is abdominal pain. Inflammation can cause abdominal pain and swollen lymph nodes in the mesentery, which sometimes occur with mesenteric panniculitis. In some people, abdominal pain is accompanied by: Abdominal bloating.
It is generally agreed upon that the world's oldest playable pipe organ is located in the Basilica of Valère in Sion, Switzerland. Built around 1435, most of the case is original, but only 12 pipes are original, as the rest have been replaced during restorations. It is said that the organ in the church of St.
Do we have 2 organs? ›
Altogether there are seventy-eight main organs within the human body. These organs work in coordination to give rise to several organ systems. Among these 78 organs, five organs are considered vital for survival. These include the heart, brain, kidneys, liver and lungs.
What are the 78 organs in the human body Wikipedia? ›
Organ related tables
| System | Subsystem | Organs |
|---|
| Endocrine | Endocrine | Adrenal glands |
| Pancreas |
| Circulatory | Circulatory | Heart |
| Arteries |
97 more rowsIt is the organ which supports embryological development of all abdominal digestive organs, and which, following birth, maintains all abdominal digestive organs in systematic continuity. The mesentery develops as a single, composite organ in an on which all abdominal digestive organs develop and remain connected to.
What is the new organ invented in the human body? ›
When they managed to track down the organ, the team gave it the catchy name of the 'tubarial salivary gland'. The glands can be found behind the nose; in the nook where the nasal cavity meets the throat, and is designed to 'lubricate and moisten the area of the throat behind the nose and mouth'.
What was the last discovered body part? ›
Scientists recently uncovered a part of the body that had never been described before: a deep layer of muscle in the masseter, which raises the lower jaw and is critical for chewing.
Which is the latest organ in human body? ›
The interstitium was right there under our noses (and skin) all along, but it took a new way of examining tissues to figure it out.
Which organ is extra in human body? ›
Specific types of occurrence
Accessory spleen – one or more additional spleens. Cervical rib – an additional rib. Diphallia – having two penes/penises. Hyperdontia – additional teeth.
Which organ is king of organs? ›
The Heart: King of Organs | HeartMath Institute.
Where is the oldest organ? ›
It is generally agreed upon that the world's oldest playable pipe organ is located in the Basilica of Valère in Sion, Switzerland. Built around 1435, most of the case is original, but only 12 pipes are original, as the rest have been replaced during restorations. It is said that the organ in the church of St.
