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The Big Apple of microbes

The large intestine is literally a small bioreactor. Here, millions of bacteria ferment fibres into essential micronutrients. Of the many inhabiting florae in the colon, the Bifidobacterium Bifidum is one of the most prominent. This non-motile (=local resident) bacteria belongs to the all-rounders of the intestinal flora in a healthy adult. High-quality studies prove the role that Bifidobacteria play in preventing irritable and inflammatory bowel syndromes. Furthermore, they also stabilise cholesterol levels, alleviate allergic symptoms, improve skin appearance, reduce stress, protect from free radicals – and could possibly play a role in the development of colon cancer. Bifidobacterium Bifidum…

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Featured

 Mapping the body: the sigmoid colon

This S-shaped stretch of large bowel is the site of a variety of problems – some very unpleasant to treat.

Articles of Interest

Anatomical Variations: The Transverse Colon

This article will explore anatomical variation in the shape and position of the transverse colon, and cover possible causes, symptoms and treatments associated with transverse colon variations.

Large Intestine (Colon)

The large bowel extends from the ileocecal valve to the anus and measures 120 cm to 150 cm in adults. It can be clinically useful to divide the large bowel into regions. The cecum, the most proximal saccular part of the large bowel, lies inferior to a horizontal line defined by the ileocecal valve. The cecum is completely invested by peritoneum and contains the opening of the vermiform appendix.

Poop Wars

The strange history of an American obsession.

Resources

Live Science

This 6 feet of dense muscle is divided into four parts: the ascending colon, the transverse colon, the descending colon and the sigmoid colon. Each part represents a location in the broken rectangle shape that the colon makes in the body. The ascending colon is the right arm of the broken rectangle. The beginning of the ascending colon is called the cecum. The cecum is connected to the small intestine and the appendix.

StatPearls

The large intestine is responsible for processing indigestible food material (chyme) after most nutrients are absorbed in the small intestine. The large intestine is composed of 4 parts. It includes the cecum and ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, and sigmoid colon.