Stomach

Stomach
Sections of the human stomach
Scheme of digestive tract, with stomach in red
Details
PrecursorForegut
SystemDigestive system
ArteryRight gastric artery, left gastric artery, right gastro-omental artery, left gastro-omental artery, short gastric arteries
VeinRight gastric vein, left gastric vein, right gastroepiploic vein, left gastroepiploic vein, short gastric veins
NerveCeliac ganglia, vagus nerve[1]
LymphCeliac lymph nodes[2]
Identifiers
Latinventriculus, stomachus
Greekστόμαχος
MeSHD013270
TA98A05.5.01.001
TA22901
FMA7148
Anatomical terminology

The stomach is a muscular, hollow organ in the upper gastrointestinal tract of humans and many other animals, including several invertebrates. The stomach has a dilated structure and functions as a vital organ in the digestive system. The stomach is involved in the gastric phase of digestion, following the cephalic phase in which the sight and smell of food and the act of chewing are stimuli. In the stomach a chemical breakdown of food takes place by means of secreted digestive enzymes and gastric acid.

The stomach is located between the esophagus and the small intestine. The pyloric sphincter controls the passage of partially digested food (chyme) from the stomach into the duodenum, the first and shortest part of the small intestine, where peristalsis takes over to move this through the rest of the intestines.

  1. ^ Nosek, Thomas M. "Section 6/6ch2/s6ch2_30". Essentials of Human Physiology. Archived from the original on 2016-03-24.
  2. ^ The Stomach at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University)

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