Duke researchers say appendix is “safe house for bacteria”

William Atkins
Saturday, 06 October 2007 20:15

Science - Health

Duke scientist Dr. Bill Parker and fellow researchers contend that the appendix is a storehouse and manufacturing facility for useful bacteria—and not useless as scientists have thought in the past.         

The appendix is a small tube that grows out from the large intestine, near the small intestine. It is located in humans in the lower right side of the abdomen. The surgeons and immunologists taking part in the study, and developing this new theory about the function of the appendix, are from the Duke University Medical School.

Stated within their online article in the 'Journal of Theoretical Biology,' the Duke researchers explain that most bacteria within the human body helps to digest food and perform other good jobs. Sometimes, however, these bacteria die or are killed. Thus, it is the job of the appendix to store and replenish these good bacteria. Without the appendix in the body, these Duke University researchers theorize that the body could be injured or killed from any of a number of diseases such as cholera or dysentery.

However, they also contend that in modern industrialized countries, people do not need the appendix as much as do people in less developed countries because they can easily pick up bacteria from outside the body. They caution that the appendix still needs to be removed when it becomes inflamed because it can cause death in humans.

Although their theory has not been verified, other researchers favor their explanation of the purpose of the appendix over other theories.  Additional research will be performed to verify these claims.

This article is based off of the Associated Press article by Seth Borenstein entitled "Your Appendix Has a Reason After All."