Gastrointestinal tract

The continuous muscular tube from the mouth to the anus that digests food, absorbs nutrients and water, and eliminates waste.

Peristalsis: Wave-like contractions of smooth muscle that move contents through hollow organs. Sequential contractions propel food through the esophagus, stomach, and intestines.
Mouth: The cavity where food enters the digestive tract and is chewed and mixed with saliva. Digestion and transport begin as food is processed for swallowing.
Endoscopy: A procedure that uses a flexible instrument with a camera to examine internal body passages. Endoscopes let clinicians inspect the tract lining and perform some treatments.
Accessory digestive organs: Organs that aid digestion without forming part of the continuous gastrointestinal tube. The liver, pancreas, and gallbladder supply substances that act within the tract.
Respiratory tract: The connected airways that conduct air between the atmosphere and the lungs. It shares an upper passage with digestion but carries air rather than food.
Gastric acid: Hydrochloric acid secreted by stomach cells that helps digest food and limits microbes. Acid creates the stomach environment for protein digestion and microbial control.
Esophagus: A muscular tube that carries swallowed material from the pharynx to the stomach. It links the mouth to the stomach through coordinated muscular contractions.
Colonoscopy: An examination of the colon and rectum using a flexible camera-equipped instrument. It screens for colorectal cancer and can detect or remove abnormal growths.
Liver: An organ that processes absorbed nutrients, produces bile, and performs many metabolic functions. Blood from the intestines reaches the liver through the portal circulation.
Urinary tract: The organs and passages that produce, store, and excrete urine. It eliminates dissolved metabolic wastes rather than undigested food residues.

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