Microbiome research to date has been much like the parable of the blind men and the elephant. How much can be said about an elephant by examining just its tail? Researchers have studied what is most ...

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, ...

Plasticity among cell lineages is a fundamental, but poorly understood, property of regenerative tissues. In the gut tube, the small intestine absorbs nutrients, whereas the colon absorbs electrolytes ...

The large intestine—which includes the cecum, colon, rectum, and anus—is a key part of the digestive system. It's a long, thin organ at the end of your digestive tract where your body produces and ...

Research from an international team finds that the human gut is a site of rapid change, with recent and important deviations from other mammals, including our closest living relative, the chimpanzee.

The organ's continuity can be seen only when it's exposed in a certain way In case you’ve ever wondered what connects your intestine to your abdomen, there’s a word – and now, a single organ – for ...

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The small intestine plays an important role in both digestion and in the endocrine response to regulate blood glucose levels. In the 21st century, a number of drugs have been developed which are based ...