Functions of the large intestine Meals pass from the small to the large intestine within 8-9 hours of ingestion. The small intestine will have absorbed about 90% of the ingested water. The large ...

A single layer of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) provides a physical barrier that separates trillions of commensal bacteria in the intestinal lumen from the underlying lamina propria and deeper ...

The large intestine originates just from the end point of small intestine. It is broadly divided into cecum, colon and rectum. The main function of the large intestine is to absorb undigested food ...

CAMBRIDGE, MA -- MIT biologists have discovered an unexpected effect of a ketogenic, or fat-rich, diet: They showed that high levels of ketone bodies, molecules produced by the breakdown of fat, help ...

A new organ has been discovered hiding in plain sight inside the human body. Known as the mesentery, it was previously thought to be just a few fragmented structures in the digestive system. But ...

This article – the fifth in a six-part series describes the physiology and functions of the large intestine, the last portion of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as common conditions of both the ...

Researchers have found that high levels of ketone bodies, molecules produced by the breakdown of fat, help the intestine to maintain a functional stem cell pool, which are crucial for intestinal ...