Posts

Showing posts from March, 2012

Intestine

The intestine is the part of the digestive system in vertebrates, that extends from the stomach to the anus and is divided into distinctive sections for handling the process of digestion and absorption of food and the elimination of waste. In the adult human the intestine is divided into the small and large intestines. The small intestine is a tightly coiled, hollow tube about 5 m (16.4 ft) in length and made up of the duodenum, the jejunum, and ileum, in that order. The large intestines, which is also a coiled tube, is joined to the ileum at a region called the cecum, is about 1.5 m (5 ft) in length, and consist of the colon and rectum. The length and internal features of intestines are adaptations that provide extensive surface areas for efficiently digesting foods and absorbing the products. Small Intestines The duodenum in mammals is notable for its role in the Endocrine system because it produces such hormones as the following: cholecystokinin, which causes the Gallbladder t