Scientists in the US have identified a new human organ hiding in plain sight, in a discovery they hope will help understand how cancer spreads within the human body. Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments, which researchers have termed the “interstitium”. Its existence was demonstrated using a new technique for generating images from inside the human body. It was widely believed there are 79 organs in the human body, the interstitium would make the 80th. They noticed cavities that did not match any previously known human anatomy, and approached New York University pathologist Dr Neil Theise.

Source: The Irish Times March 28, 2018 11:48 UTC