Mesentery: a new organ?

Mesentery is a sheet-like structure that encloses the intestine and attaches it to the posterior part of the abdominal wall. First illustrations of the structure in situ indicated its contiguity, and in 1879 Toldt accurately depicted a mesentery that was associated with the ascending and descending colon.

However, his findings were largely ignored in favor of Treves who, in 1885, presented a fragmented mesentery appearing only at the sigmoid colon, transverse colon, and small-intestine. The latter findings were perpetuated in the literature of the next century.

But recently a research team led by colorectal surgeon J. Calvin Coffey gave sufficient evidence to support the reclassification of the mesentery as an organ. Their research contradicts hundreds of years of gastrointestinal anatomy literature, which states that the mesentery is made up of independent, fragmented structures. It has instead been shown to be harmonious and continuous, reaching from the duodenum all the way to the rectum.

Ground breaking anatomy findings lead to less invasive surgeries - Prof Calvin Coffey

Functions of mesentery

The mesentery has many important anatomical and physiological functions, and is thought by researchers to play a role in the intestine’s immune response, as well as in gastrointestinal diseases. The mesentery also contains the blood supply and lymphatic system of the intestine, and is an integral part of the portal system.

Central functions of the mesentery are:

  1. Holds the intestines in place, ensuring that they do not collapse when standing, which could cause disruption to the motility inside the intestines.
  2. Uses nodes to monitor the environment within the intestines, responding to cues and triggering local and systemic immune responses; an example of this is the migration of natural killer (NK), T and B cells in response to bacterial components found in the intestine.
  3. Regulates inflammation, blood clots (systemic fibrinolytic) and coagulation pathways; however, the underlying mechanism of such functions is poorly understood and based heavily on observations made in animal studies.

Reclassification based on an observational study

In 2012, professor Coffey and his colleagues carried out an observational study in order to characterize the anatomy of the mesentery during and following its complete excision. They believed this type of excision could lead to increased survival of colon cancer patients, but recognized a lack of prerequisite detailed knowledge of the variant and normal mesocolic anatomy.

During this study, they observed undocumented anatomical depictions of the mesentery, including its continuous nature. In one additional study, they confirmed their observations using histology and electron microscopy to show that the mesentery was present from the ileocecal to mesorectal segment on a cellular level.

Implications of the discovery

This new and more accurate anatomical conception of the mesentery by Professor Coffey and his colleagues may have exciting and widespread implications for gastrointestinal research, treatment and patient outcomes.  The discovery holds a promise of a substantial impact on surgical procedures, most notably by reducing blood loss in abdominal surgery, by making them safer, and by allowing patients to recover more quickly.

In addition, having a new-found clarity of the mesentery structure (which was previously inaccurately understood) allows exponential advances in the potential development of treatments for associated diseases. The classification of the mesentery as an organ has created a whole new field of mesentery science, which is likely to attract comprehensive study into its physiological function and role in disease. This discovery will hopefully pave the way for new research into the mechanism and treatments of common, debilitating gastrointestinal diseases such as inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis), diverticulosis and colorectal cancer.

Further Reading

Last Updated: Dec 29, 2022

Chloe Barnett

Written by

Chloe Barnett

Chloe has a B.Sc. in Medical Sciences from the University of Leeds and during her time there she enjoyed being close to the Yorkshire dales. Chloe loves the outdoors, spending her spare time hiking and exploring the UK countryside as well as listening to live music and running.

Citations

Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

  • APA

    Barnett, Chloe. (2022, December 29). Mesentery: a new organ?. News-Medical. Retrieved on December 21, 2024 from https://www.news-medical.net/health/Mesentery-a-new-organ.aspx.

  • MLA

    Barnett, Chloe. "Mesentery: a new organ?". News-Medical. 21 December 2024. <https://www.news-medical.net/health/Mesentery-a-new-organ.aspx>.

  • Chicago

    Barnett, Chloe. "Mesentery: a new organ?". News-Medical. https://www.news-medical.net/health/Mesentery-a-new-organ.aspx. (accessed December 21, 2024).

  • Harvard

    Barnett, Chloe. 2022. Mesentery: a new organ?. News-Medical, viewed 21 December 2024, https://www.news-medical.net/health/Mesentery-a-new-organ.aspx.

Comments

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of News Medical.
Post a new comment
Post

While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses. Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or authors. We do not provide medical advice, if you search for medical information you must always consult a medical professional before acting on any information provided.

Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their privacy principles.

Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential information.

Read the full Terms & Conditions.

You might also like...
Scientists uncover two Crohn’s disease subtypes using lab-grown intestines, offering hope for personalized therapies