Question

What is gut?

Answer 1

Gut:

1. The gut is also known as the digestive tract or the gastrointestinal tract.
2. The diameter and shape of this gastrointestinal tract or gut pipe varies at various places to make the organs of the digestive system.
3. It is a group of organs which includes oesophagus, mouth, stomach, small intestine, large intestine and rectum.

Functions of the gut:

1. In humans and other animals it take in food, digest it, absorb nutrients and expel it out in the form of feces.
2. It receives the secretions of various glands for the process of digestion like, salivary glands, pancreas, liver and gall bladder.
3. Also, the inner lining of this gut has various modifications like crypts of lieberkuhn for secreting digestive juices and villi and microvilli for the absorption of the digested form of nutrients.
4. Gut also performs various types of movements including peristalsis which is the automatic wave-like movement of the muscles that lining the gastrointestinal tract which moves food through the digestive system.