Digestive and Bowel System Anatomy Quiz

Anatomy of the Digestive System

• The digestive tract extends from the mouth to the anus and is responsible for the digestion, absorption, and elimination of food and waste products.

• The digestive system is divided into two major components: the alimentary canal and accessory digestive organs.

• The buccal cavity is the opening of the digestive tract and is made up of the oral vestibule, oral cavity proper, teeth, and tongue.

• The oropharynx is the middle part of the pharynx that communicates with the nasopharynx and laryngopharynx, and contains the superior and middle pharyngeal constrictor muscles and MALT.

• The esophagus is a muscular tube that transfers food from the oropharynx to the stomach and has cervical, thoracic, and abdominal components.

• The stomach is a dilated area of the alimentary canal that participates in mechanical and chemical digestion and is divided into four main parts: fundus, body, antrum, and pylorus.

• The duodenum is the beginning of the small intestines and is the shortest and widest part, consisting of four parts: pars superioris, pars descendens, pars horizontalis, and pars ascendens.

• The jejunum is the second part of the small intestines and is distinguished from the ileum by its larger external and internal diameter, thicker walls, more extensive vascular supply, deeper plicae circulares, and less prominent MALT.

• The ileum is the third part of the small intestines and terminates at the ileocecal valve, which marks the transition from the small intestines to the large intestines.

• The colon is the proximal end of the large intestines and is divided into ascending, transverse, descending, and sigmoid parts, and has haustrations and taenia coli.

• The cecum is a dilated cul-de-sac at the proximal end of the colon that does not have prominent haustrations.

• The rectum is the distal end of the large intestines that stores stool until defecation, which is voluntarily controlled by the external anal sphincter.Anatomy of the Bowel: Iliac Fossa to Rectosigmoid Junction, Location of Appendix, and Bowel Components

• The alimentary tract between the stomach and the anal canal is known as bowel and is formed of several components.

• The iliac fossa is a part of the large intestine where the cecum is located and transitions into the sigmoid colon.

• The sigmoid colon is the distal segment of the large intestine that enters the pelvic inlet and terminates at the rectosigmoid junction.

• The rectosigmoid junction is located at the level of the third sacral vertebra (S3).

• The location of the appendix varies from individual to individual, but a retrocecal appendix (behind the cecum) is the most common.

• The position of the appendix can be found pointing in various directions, such as pelvic.

• The appendix is a small, finger-shaped pouch attached to the cecum and has no known function in humans.

• The components of the bowel are duodenum, jejunum, ileum, appendix, colon, sigmoid, and rectum.

• The duodenum is the first part of the small intestine, connecting to the stomach.

• The jejunum and ileum are parts of the small intestine that absorb nutrients from food.

• The colon is the largest part of the large intestine and is responsible for absorbing water and electrolytes from feces.

• The sigmoid colon and rectum are responsible for storing feces until defecation.