This story is part of a series exploring human anatomy and physiology complexities. Each story in this collection showcases discoveries reshaping our understanding of the body's inner workings, ...

New research finds there is significant variation in the anatomy of the human digestive system, with pronounced differences possible between healthy individuals. The finding has implications for ...

This is part of a series of stories on the protective role of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) in the gut and other tissues, focusing on SARS-CoV-2 infection. One area that hasn’t received all that much ...

The descending colon is a section of the large intestine that passes downward. Its functions include storing food remains before they pass through the rest of the colon and rectum for elimination. The ...

The gut microbiome is an important ecosystem of microbes that lives in each one of us, and its strength affects our overall health. However, the small intestine is an underappreciated part of the gut ...

The stomach is located in the upper part of the abdomen. The digestive organs in the abdomen work together to absorb nutrients and move food through the digestion process. They include the stomach, ...

Anatomy education in 2026 is shifting from siloed memorization to integrated systems thinking, where the digestive system serves as the perfect anchor to connect joint mobility, epithelial barriers, ...