Blindtarmen kan vara till för att nära goda bakterier vid kriser

The abstract, for those who don't have access to the journal (article DOI doi:10.1016/j.jtbi.2007.08.032):


The human vermiform ("worm-like") appendix is a 5 to 10 cm long and 0.5 to 1
cm wide pouch that extends from the cecum of the large bowel. The architecture of the
human appendix is unique among mammals, and few mammals other than humans have
an appendix at all. The function of the human appendix has long been a matter of debate,
with the structure often considered to be a vestige of evolutionary development despite
evidence to the contrary based on comparative primate anatomy. The appendix is thought
to have some immune function based on its association with substantial lymphatic tissue,
although the specific nature of that putative function is unknown. Based (a) on a recently
acquired understanding of immune-mediated biofilm formation by commensal bacteria in
the mammalian gut, (b) on biofilm distribution in the large bowel, (c) the association of
lymphoid tissue with the appendix, (d) the potential for biofilms to protect and support
colonization by commensal bacteria, and (e) on the architecture of the human bowel, we
propose that the human appendix is well suited as a "safe house" for commensal bacteria,
providing support for bacterial growth and potentially facilitating re-inoculation of the
colon in the event that the contents of the intestinal tract are purged following exposure to a pathogen.