Do any of you have a guess in which what purpose the appendix serves in our body?

Question

I've learned in my Medical Terminology class that it's considered part of the digestive system even though it has no function? Why is that? I know researchers have been trying to find out for years what purpose does it serves but if we can do every thing else why can't we find this out. Well any ways do you want to guess? Any theories? Any guesses?

Answer 1

It has no purpose. It used to be involved in the digestion of cellulose (found in plants) but we evolved into omnivores and now it has become redundant.

Answer 2

Human digestion requires huge amounts of beneficial bacteria. Certain illnesses, however, destroy or remove both good and bad bacteria from the intestines. In order for digestion to continue, cultures of the good bacteria must be regrown to repopulate the gut. That is where the appendix comes in according to the latest research. Borenstein noted: “Diseases such as cholera or amoebic dysentery would clear the gut of useful bacteria. The appendix’s job is to reboot the digestive system in that case” (2007). Bill Parker, co-author of the latest research, said that the appendix “acts like a bacteria factory, cultivating the good germs” (Borenstein, 2007).

http://apologeticspress.org/articles/3512

Answer 3

Actually they have discovered this within the last few months. Its purpose is to store digestive bacteria. These days we know we can restore digestive bacteria by eating yogurt or some probiotic. So when we have diarrhea or take antibiotics, we don't really need the appendix to release bacteria to replenish the gut, but that was the original purpose.

Answer 4

My hubby says that within the last week, researchers have decided that the function of the appendix is to keep good bacterial available for the digestive system. Without that useful bacteria we wouldn't be able to digest our foods. Great question.

Answer 5

Hey Dear, Appendix is of no use in our body. Its just a trouble giver like tonsils etc.

Answer 6

It is believed to be a remnant from when the digestive system handled more plant roughage than is found in people's diets today.

As far as practical use today it has none.

Answer 7

Back when humans first starting wearing clothes and living in man-made structures and acting all "civilized" the appendix allowed humans to stand upright, without falling down, constantly. Over the years it has also aided humans in developing written language, learning to sing, dance and explore outer space. Unfortunately, it also inhibits the humans ability to fly, breath underwater and live for 1000 years or more.
Oh well, it is nice to stand upright without falling down all the time!

Answer 8

it doesn't do anything. scientists believe that it possibly served some function somewhere in our evolutionary past, but it doesn't any more. however, it does get inflammed in some people, and they need to have an appedenctomy.
and we can't do everything else. what we currently know is only the tip of the iceberg, there is much more that we need to find out about the human body.

Answer 9

the appendix has no purpose except to gire you appendicitis. It also has the purpose of letting blood flow through it and if a peice of food gets caught in it it will expand till it bursts.

Answer 10

i've read from a news article some months ago that they found out that hte appendix is a safe haven for good bacteria in our body.