Editing Mesentery (section)

{{short description|Contiguous fold of tissues that supports the intestines}}
{{about|the mesentery in humans|mesentery in other animals|Mesentery (zoology)}}

{{Infobox anatomy
| Name        = Mesentery
| Latin       = mesenterium
| Greek       = 
| Image       = Mesentery extending from the duodenojejunal flexure to the ileocecal junction. (with label).png
| Caption     = Mesentery extending from the [[duodenojejunal flexure]] to the [[ileocecal junction]]
| Width       =298
| Image2      = 
| Caption2    = 
| Precursor   = 
| System      = [[Digestive system]]
| Artery      = 
| Vein        = 
| Nerve       = 
| Lymph       = 
| pronunciation = {{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|ɛ|z|ə|n|ˌ|t|ɛ|r|i}}
}}

In [[human anatomy]], the '''mesentery''' is an [[Organ (anatomy)|organ]] that attaches the [[intestine]]s to the [[posterior abdominal wall]], consisting of a double fold of the [[peritoneum]]. It helps (among other functions) in storing [[Adipose tissue|fat]] and allowing [[blood vessel]]s, [[lymphatics]], and [[nerve]]s to supply the intestines.<ref>{{Cite news|url= https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=4356|title= Definition of Mesentery|work=MedicineNet|access-date=2018-04-21|language=en}}</ref>

The '''{{linktext|mesocolon}}''' (the part of the mesentery that attaches the colon to the abdominal wall) was formerly thought to be a fragmented structure, with all named parts—the ascending, transverse, descending, and sigmoid '''mesocolons''', the '''mesoappendix''', and the '''mesorectum'''—separately terminating their insertion into the posterior abdominal wall.<ref name="Coffey">{{cite journal|last1= Coffey|first1= JC|title= Surgical anatomy and anatomic surgery - Clinical and scientific mutualism.|journal= The Surgeon|date= August 2013|volume= 11|issue= 4 |pages= 177–82|doi= 10.1016/j.surge.2013.03.002|pmid= 23597667}}</ref> However, in 2012, new [[microscopy|microscopic]] and [[electron microscope|electron microscopic]] [[histology|examinations]] showed the mesocolon to be a single structure derived from the [[duodenojejunal flexure]] and extending to the distal mesorectal layer.<ref name="Coffey"/><ref name=":6">{{cite journal  |vauthors= Coffey JC, Sehgal R, Culligan K, ''et al'' |title= Terminology and nomenclature in colonic surgery: universal application of a rule-based approach derived from updates on mesenteric anatomy |journal= Techniques in Coloproctology |volume= 18|issue= 9|pages= 789–94|date= June 2014 |pmid= 24968936 |doi= 10.1007/s10151-014-1184-2|s2cid=20276149 }}</ref> Thus the mesentery is an [[internal organ]].<ref>{{Cite web|url= http://www.ul.ie/research/blog/irish-surgeon-identifies-emerging-area-medical-science|title=Irish surgeon identifies emerging area of medical science|date=22 December 2020 }}</ref><ref>Beth Mole, [https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/01/a-ruffled-intestinal-support-called-the-mesentery-may-be-our-79th-organ/ The human body may have a new organ—the mesentery] (arstechnica.com, 4 January 2017)</ref>

{{anchor|Etymology|Names}}