Appendix (anatomy)

The appendix (pl.: appendices or appendixes; also vermiform appendix; cecal (or caecal, cæcal) appendix; vermix; or vermiform process) is a finger-like, blind-ended tube connected to the cecum.

The cecum is a pouch-like structure of the large intestine, located at the junction of the small and the large intestines. The term "vermiform" comes from Latin and means "worm-shaped". Since the early 2000s, extensive work has been conducted regarding potential functions of the appendix, however its status as a vestigial organ persists. As an example, the appendix may among other functions, serve as a reservoir for beneficial gut bacteria.