Skin was considered the largest organ in the human body. And now it turns out, a new organ, interstititum, which lay below the skin, blood vessels and some of our internal organs, will now hold that distinction. A study lead by researchers from the NYU School of Medicine and published in the Scientific Reports now dignifies this previously misunderstood body part as an organ. At one point, the human body has a total of 79 organs. But with the "discovery" of interstitium, the total number of organs in the human body will now go up to 80.

What is the Interstitium?

The name is pretty much a tongue twister. The word interstitium is derived from the Latin word for 'interval.' It refers to the space or a gap inside an organ or a tissue. Earlier, the space was thought of as layers of dense connective tissues situated below the surface of the skin, lining organs such as the digestive tract, lungs, arteries and muscles. But only recently did researchers understand that while interstitium is indeed composed of connective tissues, it is also filled with fluids. And it functions like a shock absorber, protecting the internal organs like veins from rupturing due to external pressure.

This complex network of fluid-filled cavities is strong and flexible, and small and inconspicuous at the same time. It is so indiscernible that it lay undetected by scientists for generations.

Why is the discovery important?

The prospects of discovering an additional organ are indeed exciting. But the discovery of the interstitium will also benefit oncologists who will finally understand why the cancers that develop in this region happens to metastasizes more frequently. It is believed that the fluid in the interstitium is the source of lymph and it plays an important role in the immune functions of the body.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 27, 2018 10:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).