Immune functions Does the cecum have an organic function?

Cecum an evolutionary advantage
The cecum (medically cecum) and its appendix (appendix) is usually awarded no important function and a removal of the organ, for example, in the case of appendicitis is therefore considered relatively uncritical. However, the cecum obviously offers an evolutionary advantage, according to a recent study.

In many cases, the caecum is also considered by medical professionals to be a largely useless organ, but this could be a fatal miscalculation. Which evolutionary reason the development of the appendix had, remained so far largely unclear. However, the research team led by Heather F. Smith of Midwestern University in Glendale (USA) has now shown that the cecum has several advantages.

Scientists have demonstrated various evolutionary benefits of the cecum. (Image: nerthuz / fotolia.com)

Hundreds of mammal species studied
A total of 533 mammal species have been considered in their current study. "We collected data on appendix presence and size, other gastrointestinal signs, environmental variables, dietary habits, and social characteristics," the researchers report in the journal Comptes Rendus Palevol..

Support of the adaptive immune function
The study revealed several benefits of the caecum. For example, the researchers found a positive correlation between the presence of a colon and the expression of lymphoid tissue. This correlation supports the hypothesis of an adaptive immune function of the cecum and appendix, the researchers report.

Advantage in diseases
Also, the current study has confirmed the hypothesis that in the worm appendix healthy intestinal bacteria can hold, for example, if there is a diarrheal disease. Thus, following the illness, a rapid rebuilding of the intestinal flora can take place, explain the doctors. Thus, if the appendix has been removed, these benefits are completely lost. (Fp)