Our organs, blood vessels, and nerves are all bound together by something called the interstitium.

Recently it was discovered that the interstitium is continuous, surrounding the entire body.

That continuity provides the gut-brain axis with an unexpected new pathway.

Not many people would bet on new human anatomy being discovered in the twenty-first century. But the last couple of decades have been a little wild.

This is a story about the discovery of two new anatomical features, one small and one large, and how they turned out to be intertwined. As a bonus, they also play a role in the gut-brain axis.

Holding Organs in Place with Connective Tissue

Our organs are tacked in place by a patchwork of tissues. It is a webwork of tough collagen and elastin fibers suffused with hyaluronic acid, which attracts water to create a gel. That gel ebbs and flows, accompanied by a smattering of cells, microbes, and molecules.

Recently, a landmark study by Dr. Neil Theise and colleagues showed that all these patches are connected into a single continuous, body-wide tissue. If it were an organ, it would be the largest one in the body, demoting the skin to close second. But most researchers, including Dr. Theise, consider it to be a mere tissue, which is a little disappointing.

It is called the interstitium. The interstitium isn’t just large, it is all-encompassing. As well as your organs, all your blood vessels and nerves run through it.

The Role of the Interstitium

When the gut is inflamed, it can........

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