Digestive system

• Parts of the large intestine


  • Ascending colon
  • Transverse colon
  • Descending colon
  • Sigmoid colon
  • Rectum
• Aorta


  Major artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body
• Transverse


  Horizontal or crosswise
• Colon


  Part of the large intestine
• Splenic


  Relating to the spleen
• Flexure


  Bend or curve
• Inferior Vena Cava


  Major vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the lower body to the heart
• Splenic Vein


  Vein that drains blood from the spleen
• Hepatic


  Relating to the liver
• Ascending Colon


  Part of the large intestine that runs upwards on the right side of the abdomen
• Right Colic Artery


  Artery that supplies blood to the ascending colon
• Superior Mesenteric Artery


  Artery that supplies blood to the small intestine and part of the large intestine
• Descending Colon


  Part of the large intestine that runs downwards on the left side of the abdomen
• Mesentery


  Fold of peritoneum that attaches the intestines to the abdominal wall
• Ilium


  Part of the hip bone
• Ileocecal Valve


  Valve between the small and large intestine
• Cecum


  Pouch at the beginning of the large intestine
• Ileum


  Final section of the small intestine
• Vermiform Appendix


  Small pouch attached to the cecum
• Rectum


  Final section of the large intestine
• Superior Rectal Artery & Vein

  Blood vessels that supply and drain the rectum
• Inferior Mesenteric Artery & Vein

  Blood vessels that supply and drain the descending colon, sigmoid colon and rectum
• Sigmoid Artery & Vein

  Blood vessels that supply and drain the sigmoid colon
• Sigmoid Colon


  1. shaped part of the large intestine
• Transverse colon


  Horizontal part of the large intestine
• Ascending colon


  Upward part of the large intestine
• Descending colon


  Downward part of the large intestine
• Appendix


  Small pouch attached to the cecum
• The large intestine performs the vital task of absorbing water and vitamins while converting digested food into waste (feces)
• As the body takes back water, it leaves waste products behind which become drier and harder, making them easier to get rid of
• Small Intestine


  Part of the digestive system where most nutrients are absorbed
• The small intestine absorbs about 90% of the nutrients from the food we eat
• Small Intestine


  Called 'small' because its diameter is much less than the large intestine
• The small intestine is the location in the body where the majority of the nutrients from ingested food are absorbed
• Digested food passes through the wall of the small intestine into the blood vessels which then distribute the nutrition first to the liver and then through the rest of the body
• Stomach


  Muscular sac between the esophagus and small intestine in the upper abdomen
• Stomach


  • Releases acids and enzymes for the chemical breakdown of food
  • Can expand to temporarily store food
• The stomach is important for churning food into a consistency that is easier to digest for the rest of the body systems
• Mouth


  Start of the digestive system
• Mouth


  • Breaks down food which helps it be digested in the body
  • Produces saliva which breaks down chemicals in food and makes it mushy and easy to swallow