No, humans do not have stomata in the same way that plants do. Stomata are tiny pores found on the surfaces of leaves and other plant organs that facilitate gas exchange (primarily carbon dioxide and oxygen) and transpiration (water loss). These structures are crucial for photosynthesis.
While humans do not possess stomata for gas exchange like plants, research indicates the presence of lymphatic stomata in the adult human pleura. This finding, as detailed in the study "Lymphatic Stomata in the Adult Human Pulmonary Ligament," reveals small lymphatic openings in the serosal membrane that connect with the serosal cavity. 1 These structures, while functionally different, share a structural similarity to plant stomata. It's crucial to understand that these human lymphatic stomata are not involved in gas exchange or photosynthesis, their function is related to the lymphatic system.
The key difference lies in the purpose and location. Plant stomata are essential for the plant's survival and are located on leaves to facilitate photosynthesis and respiration. Human lymphatic stomata are a different kind of structure with a different biological role located in the pleura. The term "stoma" is used in a broader sense in medicine, to describe an opening created surgically in the body, such as in a colostomy. 2
In summary, while the term "stoma" appears in both plant and human biology, the structures and their functions differ significantly. Humans do not possess the equivalent of plant stomata for gas exchange.
