A new study suggests that scientists may have found a newly identified “organ” in the human body.
It’s not a distinct, well-defined organ like the heart, liver, or even the skin. It’s made up of widespread, fluid-filled spaces in and between tissues all over the body. It’s part of the body known as the ‘interstitium”.
Doctors and scientists have known about interstitial tissue and interstitial fluid, but the study provides fresh insights into a previously unrecognized feature of human anatomy — and the researchers are raising the idea of calling the interstitium an “organ.”
One of the co-authors, published in the report, thinks it may be the body’s largest organ.
He estimates that it represents 20 percent of the body’s volume. The skin accounts for 16 percent.
Not all experts agree that it is an actual organ.
One thing is for sure, more research is needed to better understand the true function of the interstitium, how it impacts other parts of the body and the disagreements over its organ status.
The study also suggests it may play a role in the spread of cancer cells.
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