Digestive canal - Digestive system - Gastrointestinal tract - e-Anatomy
View the module

Digestive canal

Canalis digestorius

  • Latin synonym: Canalis oesophagogastrointestinalis
  • Synonym: Alimentary canal; Gastrointestinal tract; digestional tract, GI tract
  • Acronym: GIT
  • Related terms: Gastrointestinal tract; Digestive Tract

Definition

Antoine Micheau

The digestive canal (digestive tube; alimentary canal; GI tract) is a musculomembranous tube, about 9 metres long, extending from the esophagus to the anus, and lined throughout its entire extent by mucous membrane.

The esophagus, convey the food into the stomach, in which it is stored for a time and in which also the first stages of the digestive process take place; the stomach is followed by the small intestine, which is divided for purposes of description into three parts, the duodenum, the jejunum, and ileum. In the small intestine the process of digestion is completed and the resulting products are absorbed into the blood and lacteal vessels.

Finally the small intestine ends in the large intestine, which is made up of cecum, colon, rectum, and anal canal, the last terminating on the surface of the body at the anus.

Note : for some authors, the digestive canal extend from the mouth to the anus,

References

Gallery