01 / Location & anatomical relationships
Around much of the small intestine, continuing toward the rectum.
02 / Structure & organization
The large intestine includes cecum, colon, rectum and anal canal. Its mucosa contains abundant goblet cells and lacks the villi characteristic of the small intestine. Colonic movement supports water recovery and fecal transport.
03 / Function
It helps turn the remaining material into stool.
04 / Mechanism
Its lining absorbs water and salts from remaining material. Gut microbes also act on some undigested substances. The contents become more solid as muscle movements guide them toward storage and removal.
Working together: digestive system
Teeth break food into pieces, the stomach mixes it, and the small intestine absorbs nutrients. Your blood then carries these nutrients around your body.
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Connect structure with function
Resident microbes metabolize some remaining substrates. Water absorption continues here, although substantial fluid absorption has already occurred in the small intestine.
Check your understanding
Locate the large intestine in relation to its neighbors. Explain how the structural features described above support its function, then distinguish it from a nearby structure with a different role.
Keep learning
Further reading: NIDDK: Your Digestive System & How It Works.
Continue with OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology for system-level study. This atlas is educational and has not undergone independent medical peer review.