The discovery of a new organ called interstitium in the human body could help understand how cancer spreads
Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the “interstitium”.
These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins.
The newfound organ, here beneath the top layer of skin, is also in tissue layers lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles. The organ is a bodywide network of interconnected, fluid-filled compartments supported by a meshwork of strong, flexible proteins (Jill Gregory)
The team behind the discovery suggest the compartments may act as “shock absorbers” that protect body tissues from damage.
Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center medics Dr David Carr-Locke and Dr Petros Benias came across the interstitium while investigating a patient’s bile duct, searching for signs of cancer.
They noticed cavities that did not match any previously known human anatomy, and approached New York University pathologist Dr Neil Theise to ask for his expertibody
Understanding this newly discovered frontier in human anatomy could allow scientists to develop new tests for cancer.
“This finding has potential to drive dramatic advances in medicine, including the possibility that the direct sampling of interstitial fluid may become a powerful diagnostic tool,” said Dr Theise.
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