This lesson will discuss the structure and function of the large intestine and examine its role in digestion.
Source: Image from Adobe Illustrator; Public Domain
The opening of the rectum, the anus is the last part of the alimentary canal that fecal matter escapes through.
A vestigial organ that is located on the lower right side of the colon, the appendix contains lymph nodules called Peyer’s patches. Sometimes the appendix becomes inflamed and ruptures during a condition called appendicitis.
The last major tubular organ of the alimentary canal, it forms a frame around the small intestine. The colon is responsible for absorbing water and electrolytes and converting the bolus into fecal matter.
The digestive system analog to the urinary bladder, the rectum stores fecal matter until it’s time to excrete it from the body.