This article – the fifth in a six-part series describes the physiology and functions of the large intestine, the last portion of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as common conditions of both the ...

A microbe that breaks down a key digestive enzyme in the large intestine of humans and mice has been identified by RIKEN biologists. This finding, now published in Nature, could eventually lead to the ...

The intestine is essential for life, and it is continuously exposed to foreign antigens and other environmental agents. Therefore, it comprises the largest compartment of the immune system, with ...

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic, or long lasting, disease that causes inflammation—irritation or swelling—and sores called ulcers on the inner lining of the large intestine. Ulcerative colitis is a ...