Every day in the medical world new researches are done and discoveries are found. Today I will write about one of the more recent researches that have been done about our new organ. New organ you say? Yeah, Since 2018, a research team have discovered a new organ. The Interstitium. What is this new organ and what does it do? You can read a short story about this new organ below.
What is this new organ?
The Interstitium is an organ that is located below the surface of the skin and around the lungs, urinary tract, digestive tract and surrounding vessels, veins and connective tissue (between the muscles).
The Interstitium is a fluid filled space that lies between barriers. The fluids between these spaces are called interstitial fluids. The interstitial fluids consist of water and solutes. These fluids are drained in our lymph system.
The Interstitium looks like a honeycomb shaped reticulum which consists of collagen (I,II,V), elastin and glycosaminoglycans.
Fun fact: the interstitial fluids are around 20% of our body weight.
What is the function of this new organ?
- A function of the interstitial fluid is to participate in immune regulation
- Another function of the Interstitium is that it may work as a shock absorber to prevent ruptures in different tissues like muscles, blood vessels and some organs.
Why is it important that this organ is discovered?
A theory from Theise is that we might be able to detect certain diseases earlier by researching the moistures from our interstitial fluids. This way the chances of spreading might decrease. This might help with diseases like cancer or immune disorders.
Questions, feedback or ideas for new posts? Leave a comment.
Kind regards,
Sascha Bargi BSc. Pt. & MSc. Ost. in training
Resources
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-23062-6
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstitium
