What was the function of the appendix?

Researchers deduce that the appendix is designed to protect good bacteria in the gut. That way, when the gut is affected by a bout of diarrhea or other illness that cleans out the intestines, the good bacteria in the appendix can repopulate the digestive system and keep you healthy.

What is the function of appendix in animals?

Rabbits and some rodents have appendices, and it is research on these species that has begun to shed some light on the mystery of the organs function. Previously it was thought that the sack-like rabbit appendix served primarily as a reservoir for the bacteria involved in hindgut fermentation.

What animals need an appendix?

Other than humans, the only mammals known to have appendices are rabbits, opossums and wombats, and their appendices are markedly different than the human appendix. Parker’s overall research into the existence and function of biofilms is supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Who are the scientists who discovered the appendix?

Nicholas Vardaxis, an associate professor in the Department of Medical Sciences at RMIT University, says the theory put forward by the Duke University scientists makes sense. “As an idea it’s an attractive one, that perhaps it would be a nice place for these little bacteria to localise in, a little cul-de-sac away from everything else,” he said.

What is the function of the appendix in the gut?

The researchers say it acts as a safe house for good bacteria, which can be used to effectively reboot the gut following a bout of dysentery or cholera. The conventional wisdom is that the small pouch protruding from the first part of the large intestine is redundant and many people have their appendix removed and appear none the worse for it.

Why was the appendix thought to be vestigial organ?

For many years, scientists believed the appendix was a vestigial organ — one that lost its original function through centuries of evolution. Researchers thought that no other mammals had an appendix, aside from our closest ape relatives.

When does the appendix appear in the fetus?

“For years, the appendix was credited with very little physiological function. We now know, however, that the appendix serves an important role in the fetus and in young adults. Endocrine cells appear in the appendix of the human fetus at around the 11th week of development.