The human intestine is part of the gastrointestinal tract and begins at the pylorus itself and ends with the back opening. In such an organ, a thorough digestion of food and the absorption of all its elements takes place. It is also worth noting that the intestinal organ plays a huge role in the body's immune system.
Where is the human intestine located? The presented organ is located in the abdominal region (in its lower part) and occupies most of it. As you know, the total length of the human intestine is about four meters (during life) and about 500-800 centimeters after death. In newborns, the length of this organ varies from 340 centimeters to 360. At the end of the first year of life, it increases by about 50% and exceeds the height of the child by 6-7 times.
Anatomy of the human intestine
The position, shape and structure of this organ change as we grow older. The greatest intensity of its growth is observed in the period from 1 to 3 years. This is due to the fact that the child is gradually moving to mixed common food.
Anatomically, the human intestine is divided into the followingdepartments:
- thin;
- thick.
The first section is part of the digestive system, which is located between the large intestine and the stomach. All the main processes of digestion take place in this organ. The small intestine owes its name to the fact that its walls are less durable than the walls of the large intestine. In addition, the lumen and cavity of this organ is also much smaller.
In turn, the human small intestine is divided into the following segments:
- 12 duodenum;
- skinny;
- iliac.
The large intestine is the lower end of the digestive tract. It absorbs the incoming fluid and forms feces from the chyme. This intestine got its name due to the fact that its walls are much thicker than the walls of the previous section. It is worth noting that this organ received such strength due to the muscle layer and connective tissue. The diameter of the large intestine and its internal lumen (cavity) also exceed the size of the small intestine.
The human large intestine is usually divided into the following segments:
- blind with appendix (appendix);
- colon with separate subsections;
- colon ascending colon;
- transverse colon;
- colon descending intestine;
- sigmoid;
- straight with a wide part, an ampulla, and a tapering end - the anus,which ends with the anus.
Dimensions of the main sections of the intestines
The length of the small intestine varies between 160-430 centimeters. As a rule, in female representatives, this organ is somewhat shorter. The diameter of such an organ is 30-50 millimeters. The length of the large intestine fluctuates around 1.4-1.6 meters. Its diameter in the initial section is 7-10 centimeters, and in the caudal - 4-6.
The mucous membrane of such an organ is a multiple outgrowths-villi that protrude into the intestinal cavity. There are approximately 20-40 villi per square millimeter of the intestinal surface.
