What is the Function of the Colon and Rectum?
The colon and rectum are part of the digestive system, or gastrointestinal tract, which functions primarily to absorb water and store our waste in the form of feces or stool. When we swallow, the food passes from the mouth into the esophagus, then into the stomach where it is broken down into small particles by acids and digestive juices. This material is then passed into the small intestine where the majority of the nutrients from our meals are absorbed to give us the fuel our body needs to function. The remaining liquid and juices then enter the large intestine, also called the colon. The colon is approximately six feet long and is divided into five sections known as the cecum, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon and sigmoid colon. The final six to seven inches of our colon forms into a storage pouch called the rectum. Stool is excreted from the rectum by passing through the anal canal, and out the anal canal which is controlled by the anal sphincters.