Page 30 - E-book Digestive System

5. Large Intestine ( Colon )
The large intestine is the last part of the digestive tract. That's what makes the
large intestine has an important role in 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 bacteria Escherichia
coli into feces. So that the rest of the food that 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. In the colon also occurs absorption of the remaining water in
the food so that the feces become 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. After the nutrients are absorbed in the small intestine, the remains of
food undergo decay in the large intestine. In addition to decay, water is also
absorbed in the large intestine so that food scraps are ready to 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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