Gastrointestinal (GI) Tract

Also known as the Alimentary Canal.

The gastrointestinal tract is a muscular tube approximately 7.5 meters long (25 feet) consisting of:

• the upper gastrointestinal tract (mouth, oesophagus and stomach)
• the lower gastrointestinal tract, which itself made up of three parts:
  • the small intestine (duodenum, jejunum and ileum)
  • large intestine (caecum, colon and rectum)
  • anus

Its function is to take in food, digest it to extract energy and nutrients, and expel the remaining waste.

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