We are in the XNUMXst century and it would seem that we already know everything about human anatomy. Meanwhile, scientists keep surprising us. They’ve just discovered a new organ that may be responsible for the pain sensation.
New organ under the skin
A team of Swedish scientists from the Karolinska Institute discovered a mesh-like organ just under the skin. It consists of specialized glial cells located on the epidermal-cutaneous border and may be responsible for the perception of mechanical pain. Remember what you feel when, for example, you stab your finger with a needle? The pain that accompanies the sting may be perceived by the newly discovered organ.
Scientists first identified the new organ in mice and tested its functionality by exposing rodents to different types of pain. When the researchers “turned off” the glial cell structure by means of gene editing, the mice continued to experience thermal pain discomfort (sensitivity to heat and cold) but had a reduced response to mechanical pain.
What does this discovery mean for us?
Fighting chronic pain
The discovery of a new organ changes the way scientists thought about causing pain, at least in mice. Whether or not humans have the same organ is not yet known, but the study director believes the probability is high. Until now, all organs that exist in mice are also found in the human body.
If this is confirmed, scientists will be able to begin work on treating various types of neuropathic pain disorders that affect up to 10% of people. populations of the United States and Europe. The researchers hope the discovery will help them understand what chronic pain is, and hence treat it effectively.
Another new organ
The human body is still a mystery to scientists. In 2018, scientists from the NYU School of Medicine, the University of Pennsylvania and Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center announced in the Scintific Reports that they had discovered a new organ in our body. They called it interstitum.
It is an organ that was first observed by Israeli scientists in 2015. Interstitum accounts for approx. 16 percent. body weight and is the structure that fills the interior of the tissues. It is filled with fluid and connects to itself throughout the body. This organ is a kind of defense against an impact. As it is filled with fluid, it absorbs energy and distributes it throughout the body, thus protecting vital organs.
Scientists have also found that this structure may be responsible for the rapid multiplication of cancer cells. They are currently investigating the possibility of blocking the flow of cancer cells through the fluid. This may allow the disease to stop developing in the future and to treat it more effectively.