Question

Give a brief description of the three parts of the stomach.

Answer 1

Hint:The cardia contains mucous secreting glands and is nearest to the oesophagus. The fundus is the rounded region on the left side of the cardia and below the diaphragm. The pylorus is the part that joins the small intestine.

Complete answer:
The stomach is a muscular, j-shaped organ in the upper abdomen. It is part of the digestive system that stretches from the mouth to the anus. The size of the stomach ranges from person to person and the amount of food taken.

The human stomach is split into cardia, fundus, body and pylorus. Cardia is the first portion of the stomach below the oesophagus. It contains the cardiac sphincter, a small ring of muscle that helps keep stomach content from returning to the oesophagus. The fundus is an extended region that curves above the cardiac opening. The main part of the stomach where food gets mixed and broken down is the body of the stomach. The pylorus is a narrowing wherein the stomach meets the small intestine. The pyloric zone ends with the pyloric sphincter. This sphincter relaxes as the chyme is formed and the chyme is moved into the duodenum.

                Fig: Regions of the stomach

The stomach has the capacity to expand or contract based on the amount of food it contains. When contracted, the inner walls form various folds that disappear when the walls are distended.

Note:The thick mucous membrane lining of the stomach walls is tightly lined with small gastric glands that produce a mixture of enzymes and hydrochloric acid that partially digests proteins and fats.