One in fifteen people in the United States will contract Appendicitis in their lifetime. Appendicitis is the inflammation of the appendix, which requires its removal to be cured. Earlier in the year, I myself had my appendix removed due to this disease, and many of my questions regarding the appendix were unanswered. One thing I have always found interesting about this matter is that for such a common illness, so little is known about the appendix. The organ itself is difficult to study because there is nothing comparable to it in animals. While the general consensus for years was that it serves no purpose or is now a vestigial organ from an earlier phase of human development, there are some hypotheses recently that challenge this idea.
In recent years, researchers discovered that the appendix plays an important role in fetal development. In early stages of fetus development, typically around the eleventh week, Endocrine glands gather in the appendix. These glands are responsible for long-term development in areas such as growth and metabolism. During their time in the appendix in this stage, they produce Peptide hormones, such as insulin which are responsible for controlling biological functions in the body.
The appendix also serves a purpose in adulthood, primarily with regard to the immune system. It serves as a gathering grounds for white blood cells and exposes them to the toxic conditions of the gastrointestinal system during their maturation. This prevents the blood cells from reacting violently to ordinary, benign antigens.
Another important purpose of the Appendix is that bacteria is collected within. While this may sound like a bad thing and this is in part what leads to appendicitis, the accumulation of bacteria is beneficial in some circumstance. For example, if one contracts a disease such as Dysentry or Cholera, the stomach and digestive tract are drained of all beneficial bacteria. The beneficial bacteria is stored in the Appendix and is used to “restart” the digestive system. However, due to our close proximity to other humans and the scarcity of such diseases, it is easier to regain the bacteria.
An unintentional, yet still noteworthy purpose of the appendix is as spare tissue for reconstructive urinary bladder surgery. If the bladder is removed, the appendix can be made to function as a sphincter muscle, which allows the body to hold urine. In some cases, it can be used to get urine from the kidneys to the bladder. Although it is likely that neither of these uses were intended when the appendix was developed through evolution, they are a positive consequence.
Though discounted for years, the appendix actually serves a purpose in the human body, albeit not a vital one. With these new findings in mind, and the possibility of further discovery, do you think modern medical professionals should be so quick to simply remove the appendix?
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