After all this time, you’d think scientists would have the human body figured out, but it seems they’ve just discovered something new. According to a new study, scientists have sound a new organ hiding in plain sight and it could be the human body’s largest.
As study co-author Dr. Neil Theise puts it, the interstitium [[in-TER-sti-SHUM]] is an interconnected system of itty bitty fluid filled spaces. They’re found throughout the entire body in a “highway” like system that moves our internal water supply. As you may know, the human body is made up of 60% water and though two thirds of that are inside cells, scientists didn’t realize where the rest was flowing until now.
Where is it? The interstitium is found within connective tissue underneath the skin. It must go through further research before becoming an "official" organ. Before this discovery, researchers weren’t able to find the interstitium due to the method of research that required scientists to thinly slice tissue, which ultimately destroyed its structure.
- It wasn’t until using a new probe-based method of research they were able to discover it. The interstitium could possibly act as shock absorbers for the other organs and may be linked to the spreading of cancer cells.
Source: Live Science