Page 30 - Ebook Digestive System Grade XI

5. Large Intestine ( Colon )
The large intestine is the last part of the digestive tract. That's what makes the
large intestine essential to the digestive system, namely removing waste from
digested food. The function of the large intestine also includes the absorption of
fluids and vitamins to produce antibodies and prevent infection. In the large
intestine, the remaining Food will be decomposed by the bacteria Escherichia Coli
into feces. So the rest of the food which goes inside the colon does not return to
the intestine at the junction of the two intestines. There is a valve called the
ileocecal valve. The colon also absorbs the remaining water in the Food so that
the feces becomes congested. The feces through peristalsis, the colon will be
pushed slightly little by little so that it approaches the axis of the intestine
(rectum). As a result, arise stimulation to defecate (Defecation). That stimulation
is called gastrocolic. Feces are finally expelled from the body through the anus.
Afterward, the nutrients are absorbed in the small intestine and the remains of
food decay in the large intestine. In addition to decay, water is interested in the
large intestine so that the food scraps can be converted into feces (feces).

Figure 13. Structure and anatomy of colon

Do you know...how much water comes from chyme? Every day, the large
intestine absorbs 1 liter of water to prevent us from becoming dehydrated,
friends. From the results of this absorption, the large intestine also gets the
remnants of food that cannot be digested anymore, and must be discarded. The
remnants of the food will become feces, which will change color due to the
presence of dyes from bile. The substance is called bilirubin, which is a yellow-
orange substance that is stored in the gallbladder. This bilirubin will be

released along with bile to go to the duodenum, then to the large intestine.
When in the large intestine, bilirubin is converted to uribilinogen, which gives
a yellowish color and gives feces and urine their yellowish color

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