“Intestinal Organ System”  

Intestinal System

  In our body, the Intestinal Organ System, a subsystem of the digestive system and the gastrointestinal system, that extends after the stomach to the anus including both the small intestine and colon (large intestine).

Intestinal System Functions

  In our body, the Intestinal System absorbs waste products from the body to be excreted with indigestible food fiber. The small intestine is involved with the digestion and assimilation of food. The large intestine is primarily involved with the storage and disposal of waste material.
  When food is not properly eliminated, optimal health can be affected; in fact, many health issues are linked to societies that do not consume adequate fiber. *

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“Small Intestine”  

  In our body's intestinal system, the Small Intestine located in the abdominal cavity is the portion of the gastrointestinal tract between the pylorus of the stomach and the ileocaecal valve of the large intestine, contains the three subdivisions of: the beginning with duodenum (most proximal 9.8 in. long), followed by the jejunum (which begins the lower gastrointestinal tract) 3-6 ft. long, then finally the ileum (most distal 6-12 ft. long), ending at the ileocaecal junction (ileocecal sphincter).
  In our body, the Small Intestine participates in the neutralization of stomach acid during digestion, enzymatic processing of food products within the lumen, and both passive and active absorption of nutrients. The small intestine produces hormones like secretin and cholecystokinin (CCK) in response to the presence of food.
These hormones help regulate digestive processes, including the release of digestive enzymes from the pancreas and the contraction of the gallbladder for the release of bile. **

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“Peristaltic Movement (Peristalsis)”  

Peristalsis

  In our body's digestive tract, the digestive process, Peristaltic Movement (Peristalsis) is a radially symmetrical contraction of smooth muscles which propagates in a wave down the muscular tube, which propels digestive contents through the digestive tract.
  In our body's digestive system, most of the gastrointestinal tract, smooth muscles contract in sequence to produce a peristaltic wave which forces a ball of food (bolus in the esophagus and gastrointestinal tract and chyme in the stomach) along the gastrointestinal tract.

Peristaltic movement is initiated by circular smooth muscles contracting behind the chewed material to prevent it from moving back into the mouth, followed by a contraction of longitudinal smooth muscles which pushes the digested food forward. **

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“Bolus”  

  In our body, Bolus is the mass of chewed food, mixed with salivary secretions, that is propelled into the esophagus during the swallowing phase of digestion. **

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“Chyme”  

  In our body, Chyme is the thick semi-fluid mass of partly digested food that is passed from the stomach to the duodenum. **

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“Anorectal Region”  

Rectum and Anus

  In our body's perineal region, the Anorectal Region includes the anus and the rectum. **

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“Gut Flora (Intestinal Flora)”  

Gut Flora

  In our body's intestinal system, Gut Flora (Intestinal Flora) contains up to 10¹⁴ of total bacteria, which is 10 to 20 times the total number of tissue cells in the body proper.
  In our body's large bowel, the predominant genera include: bacteroides, eubacterium, clostridium, ruminococcus, peptococcus, peptostreptococcus, bifidobacterium, fusobacterium, and more. **

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“Catastalsis”  

  In our body, Catastalsis is an intestinal muscle process via a rhythmic contraction and relaxation of the muscle of the intestines, not preceded by an inhibition zone.
  Catastalsis resembles ordinary peristalsis but is not preceded by a zone of inhibition.

Undigested food and cellular waste from the small intestines passes through the large intestines by a process called "catastalsis." In catastalsis, the tube of circular muscles that line the walls of the large intestine contract in a sequential, domino-like manner to push the stool along in waves. For the protection of the intestinal lining, these contractions are relatively weak, designed to gently move stool along.

In the gastrointestinal tract, waste enters the large intestine from the small intestine in a semi-solid, soupy state. As catastalsis moves the waste through the organ, the large intestine's walls absorb water back into the blood stream to help keep the body hydrated. This absorption makes the water solidify into soft pieces of feces. **

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