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The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus.The GI tract contains all the major organs of the digestive system, in humans and other animals, including the esophagus, stomach, and intestines.
Upper and lower human gastrointestinal tract. The esophagus (American English), oesophagus (British English), or œsophagus (archaic spelling) (see spelling difference) all / iː ˈ s ɒ f ə ɡ ə s, ɪ-/; [1] pl.: ((o)e)(œ)sophagi or ((o)e)(œ)sophaguses), colloquially known also as the food pipe, food tube, or gullet, is an organ in vertebrates through which food passes, aided by ...
The gastroesophageal junction between the esophagus and the stomach is controlled by the lower esophageal sphincter, which remains constricted at all times other than during swallowing and vomiting to prevent the contents of the stomach from entering the esophagus. As the esophagus does not have the same protection from acid as the stomach, any ...
Esophageal atresia is a congenital defect of the digestive system in which the continuity of the esophageal wall is interrupted. In most cases, the upper esophagus fails to connect with the lower esophagus and stomach. [5] Esophageal stricture is the narrowing of the esophagus resulting in swallowing difficulties. [5]
The muscle of the inner layer is arranged in circular rings around the tract, whereas the muscle of the outer layer is arranged longitudinally. The stomach has an extra layer, an inner oblique muscular layer. [1] Between the two muscle layers is the myenteric plexus (Auerbach's plexus). This controls peristalsis.
The stomach is located between the esophagus and the small intestine. The pyloric sphincter controls the passage of partially digested food ( chyme ) from the stomach into the duodenum , the first and shortest part of the small intestine, where peristalsis takes over to move this through the rest of the intestines.
A condition that is a result of stomach contents consistently coming back up into the esophagus causing troublesome symptoms or complications. [19] Symptoms are considered troublesome based on how disruptive they are to a patient's daily life and well-being. This definition was standardized by the Montreal Consensus in 2006. [20]
Different regions of the gut tube such as the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, etc. are specified by a retinoic acid gradient that causes transcription factors unique to each region to be expressed. Differentiation of the gut and its derivatives depends upon reciprocal interactions between the gut endoderm and its surrounding mesoderm.