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The function of the descending colon in the digestive system is to store the remains of digested food that will be emptied into the rectum. The descending colon is on the left side of the body (barring any malformations). The term left colon is hypernymous to descending colon in precise use; many casual mentions of the left colon chiefly ...
In human anatomy, the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) is the third main branch of the abdominal aorta and arises at the level of L3, supplying the large intestine from the distal transverse colon to the upper part of the anal canal. The regions supplied by the IMA are the descending colon, the sigmoid colon, and part of the rectum. [1]
The left colic artery is a branch of the inferior mesenteric artery distributed to the descending colon, and left part of the transverse colon.It ends by dividing into an ascending branch and a descending branch; [1] the terminal branches of the two branches go on to form anastomoses with the middle colic artery, and a sigmoid artery (respectively).
The colon (progressing from the ascending colon to the transverse, the descending and finally the sigmoid colon) is the longest portion of the large intestine, and the terms "large intestine" and "colon" are often used interchangeably, but most sources define the large intestine as the combination of the cecum, colon, rectum, and anal canal.
The descending colon occupies a similar position on the left side. [8] [9] During these topographic changes, the dorsal mesentery undergoes corresponding changes. Most anatomical and embryological textbooks say that after adopting a final position, the ascending and descending mesocolons disappear during embryogenesis.
The hindgut (or epigaster) is the posterior part of the alimentary canal.In mammals, it includes the distal one third of the transverse colon and the splenic flexure, the descending colon, sigmoid colon and up to the ano-rectal junction.
The left colic flexure or splenic flexure (as it is close to the spleen) is the sharp bend between the transverse colon and the descending colon.The splenic flexure receives dual blood supply from the terminal branches of the superior mesenteric artery and the inferior mesenteric artery.
The rectum receives fecal material from the descending colon, transmitted through regular muscle contractions called peristalsis. [11] As the rectal walls expand due to the materials filling it from within, stretch receptors from the nervous system located in the rectal walls stimulate the desire to pass feces, a process called defecation .