Esophagus Duodenum, jejunum and ileum are the
three major region of small intestine.
The esophagus is a long, thin, and
muscular tube that connects the pharynx Liver
(throat) to the stomach.
It functions as the conduit for food and It is a roughly triangular accessory organ
liquids that have been swallowed into the of the digestive system located to the right
pharynx to reach the stomach. of the stomach, just inferior to the
It is about 9-10 inches (25 centimeters) diaphragm and superior to the small
long and less than an inch (2 centimeters) intestine.
in diameter when relaxed. Weighing in at around 3 pounds (1.36 kg)
At the inferior end of the esophagus is a , the liver is the body’s second largest
muscular ring called the lower esophageal organ.
sphincter or cardiac sphincter. It is used to It helps in digestion, metabolism,
close of the end of the esophagus and trap immunity, and the storage of nutrients
food in the stomach. within the body.
Stomach Gallbladder
It is the main food storage tank of the It is a small, pear-shaped organ located just
body, so that the body has time to digest posterior to the liver. It is used to store and
large meals properly. recycle excess bile from the small intestine so
that it can be reused for the digestion of
It is a muscular sac that is located on the
subsequent meals.
left side of the abdominal cavity, just
inferior to the diaphragm. Pancreas
It also contains hydrochloric acid (HCL)
and digestive enzymes that continue the It is a glandular organ in the upper
digestion of food that began in the mouth. abdomen, but really it serves as two glands
The inner layer of the stomach is full of in one: a digestive exocrine gland and a
wrinkles known as rugae (or gastric hormone-producing endocrine gland.
folds). Rugae both allow the stomach to It is a narrow, 6-inch long gland that lies
stretch in order to accommodate large posterior and inferior to the stomach on
meals and help to grip and move food the left side of the abdominal cavity.
during digestion. The head of the pancreas, which connects
to the duodenum, is the widest and most
Small Intestine medial region of the organ.
It is a long, thin tube about 1 inch in The tail of the pancreas extends from the
diameter and about 10 feet long that is part body as a narrow, tapered region on the
of the lower gastrointestinal tract. left side of the abdominal cavity near the
spleen.
It is located just inferior to the stomach
and takes up most of the space in the Glandular tissue that makes up the
abdominal cavity. pancreas gives it a loose, lumpy structure.
It is coiled like a hose and the inside Large Intestine
surface is full of many ridges and folds.
It absorbs about 90% of the nutrients from It is the final section of the gastrointestinal
the food. tract.
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