Acupuncture Meridian of Traditional Chinese Medical Science: An Auxiliary Respiratory System

The acupuncture meridian system (AMS) is the key concept of Traditional Chinese Medical Science (TCMS). It is a natural network formed by the tissue space that connects human viscera and skin. In this article, a new hypothesis that the AMS is an auxiliary respiratory system is presented. The AMS collects the CO2 that is produced by tissue supersession and that cannot be excreted via blood circulation, and discharges the CO2 through the body's pores, thus preventing a pressure increase in the internal environment. Thus, local blood circulation will not be blocked, and the body will remain healthy. In addition to neuroregulation and humoral regulation, AMS regulation is an important method of physiological regulation. Furthermore, the pathological principle of the AMS, therapies of TCMS, and the excellent future of the AMS are discussed.