What is the use of the appendix

There is a cecum at the end of the large intestine and small intestine. The cecum is very important to the human body. It can absorb nutrients, especially some undigested food residues, which will absorb the water in them. The lower end of the cecum is the appendix. These two organs work together to make the human body function normally. However, the appendix area is prone to inflammation, so you must pay attention to its maintenance in daily life. Below I will introduce its functions in detail.

The function of the human body's appendix is ​​not obvious. Its main function is to hold food residues after digestion and absorption, absorb the water in them, and finally form feces. The cecum is the starting part of the large intestine. It is the thickest, shortest and most passage-filled section of the large intestine. The lower end is an enlarged blind end, which is connected to the end of the ileum on the left side and continues to the ascending colon, with the ileocecal valve as the boundary between the ascending colon and ileum. The ileocecal valve is composed of two semilunar valves, upper and lower, formed by the protrusion of the terminal ileum into the cecum. The function of this valve is to prevent the contents of the small intestine from flowing into the large intestine too quickly so that food can be fully digested and absorbed in the small intestine, and to prevent the contents of the cecum from flowing back into the ileum. The cecum is located in the right iliac fossa. The high cecum can be above the iliac fossa and even reach below the right lobe of the liver. The low cecum can reach the small pelvis. The cause of appendicitis is obstruction leading to inflammation. 65% of the cases are due to excessive proliferation of submucosal lymph follicles, which leads to obstruction and inflammation. Children all belong to this type. Another 35% is due to retention of feces in the cecum, which mostly occurs in the elderly. Others are caused by foreign body obstruction and mucosal tumors.

The appendix is ​​a earthworm-like protrusion at the junction of the ileum and cecum. It sometimes becomes inflamed, which is called appendicitis, and ordinary people call it "appendicitis." In the past, it was believed that the appendix was a section of intestine without any physiological function left over from the process of human evolution. It would become inflamed and cause disease, so once it became inflamed, it would be removed surgically. Lauren Martin, a professor of physiology at Oklahoma State University in the United States, recently pointed out through research that the appendix plays an important role in the fetus and adolescence. Endocrine cells appear in the appendix of the human embryo around the 11th week of development. These endocrine cells of the fetal appendix already produce a variety of bioactive amino and peptide hormones, as well as compounds that contribute to biological control (homeostatic) mechanisms.

After the fetus is born, lymphatic tissue begins to accumulate in the appendix in small amounts, reaching its peak at the age of 20-30, then rapidly declining, and completely disappearing after the age of 60. Early in human development, the appendix acts as a lymphoid organ that helps the maturation of B lymphocytes. B lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell and produce a type of antibody called immunoglobulin (I-gA). The researchers also found that the appendix is ​​involved in producing a molecule that directly helps lymphocytes move to other parts of the body.