O small intestine is part of the lower gastrointestinal tract of the human body, along with the large intestine, it can reach 2.5 centimeters in diameter, in its structure it is the longest organ in the gastrointestinal tract, measuring 3 m in length. Let's get to know a little more about this organ that is so important to our body?
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Let's imagine that food we eat every day to ensure enough energy to carry out the activities on the day to day, this same consumed food ends up in the small intestine and is pushed by peristaltic movements, and what is this movement?
Peristaltic movements are involuntary movements that our body's digestive tract performs like the small intestine, this movement its main function is to make the food become a kind of food bolus and during them digestion occurs correctly.
The location of the small intestine is just below the stomach, that is, it starts when the stomach part ends, more precisely at the pyloric sphincter, and has its end of fulfillment in the region called the ileocecal valve, this valve is located between the small intestine and the intestine thick.
Here is the image of our entire digestive system:
The function of the small intestine is to carry out the entire digestive process and absorption of nutrients necessary for its proper functioning, data record that the Small intestine represents 90% of the function of absorbing nutrients in our body, its structure is divided into 3 important parts such as: Duodenum, jejunum, Ileon
Duodenum: The word duodenum means twelve, as it measures exactly 12 fingers in length. The duodenum occupies between 20 and 30 cm of the small intestine, if observed more closely, we can note that it is shaped like a "C" and has secretions produced by the pancreas and the hair. liver, two accessory organs of the digestive system, these secretions penetrate the intestinal gastric tract.
Jejunum: The jejunum provides a large area for nutrient absorption, performs largely absorption and less digestion, it is located in the central part of the intestine. thin, the jejunums contain smooth muscles, these muscles facilitate the movement of digested food, we can call it peristaltic movements as already mentioned.
ileum: The ileum is located at the end of the small intestine, it continues the process of absorption of nutrients, this is possible due to the enzymes present that are produced by the cells that coat the ileum.
The inner surface of the small intestine is covered by structures that are called villi, are internal projections with a shape that can resemble fingers, that's right, look that interesting:
The amount of villi in the small intestine increases the surface area of digestion for complete absorption of nutrients as they are absorbed by the epithelial cells that coat the villi, the nutrients are sent to the blood or lymph, to be eventually distributed to the body, the lack of villi in the intestine in the body human can happen because of the presence of microorganisms responsible for gluten intolerance, thus the villi do not work well in their process of absorption of nutrients.
The cells that line the small intestine epithelium have microvilli, its function is to enable the increase of the surface of the absorption area that receives the nutrients for the digestion process, with this functioning facilitates the entry of nutrients into the blood, the cells that have the microvilli are absorbent cells, which absorb the nutrients.
We can also mention goblet cells, they are mucus-producing cells.
Paneth cells: they produce antibacterial enzymes and are capable of phagocytosis, which can be antifungal and antiviral.
These cells are important for regulating the various microbial cells in the intestine. We cannot fail to mention the enteroendocrine cells, which are cells that secrete three essential hormones for the human body: Secretin, Cholecystokinin, Gastric Inhibitory Peptide.
Secret: inhibits gastric juice secretion and stimulates pancreatic juice secretion, they contain 27 amino acids produced by the duodenum.
Cholecystokinin: It inhibits gastric emptying and also stimulates the secretion of pancreatic juice, such as secretin, in addition to pancreatic juice, it also stimulates bile juice.
Gastric Inhibitory Peptide: It stimulates insulin release and slows gastric emptying.
These hormones slow down the passage of food from the stomach to the small intestine. is made to allow enough time for the digestion of food, that is, substances that pass through the duodenum.
The secretions produced by the small intestine are called enteric juice, in its formation we have present: Water, mucus, and intestinal enzymes, they are the peptidases, which finish the digestion of proteins, maltase, which digests maltose, which is the sugar that comes from cereals, and sucrase and lactase, which act on sucrose, which is sugar from cane, and lactose which comes from milk.
Cancer in the small intestine is a very rare species and much less frequent to occur, the cancer is called adenocarcinoma, it is the most common type of cancer that affects the small intestine, cancer develop in the cells that line the intestine, such as the glandular epithelium, it can cause very worrying symptoms, such as diarrhea and large facial flushes for no apparent reason.
Other types of cancer can affect important parts of the intestine, such as lymphoma, cancer affects the jejunum in the middle portion or even in the ileum, which is the lower portion of the intestine, the presence of lymphoma stiffens or may increase the length of these parts of the small intestine, the people who are most affected by this type of cancer are those who have celiac disease, the treatment involves chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Another type of cancer is leiomyosarcoma, it affects smooth muscle cells in the wall of the small intestine, treatment also involves chemotherapy after surgery.
Faced with the appearance of these serious diseases, it is extremely necessary to seek medical evaluation for the necessary treatment.
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