2. STATION 11: The Stomach
Curves of the Stomach:
Lessor curvature (superior) and greater curvature (inferior)
Varies between 6-10 inches; an empty stomach contains about 50mL
and a full one can hold about 4L of food.
Anatomical Regions of the Stomach
1. Cardia – surrounds the opening of the stomach
2. Fundus – rounded portion above and to the left of
the cardia
3. Body – large central portion of the stomach
4. Pyloric Canal – leads to the small intestine
3. STATION 11: The Stomach
The stomach is essentially a storage
tank for ingested food; it is a
muscular sac that MECHANICALLY
churns food and propels it toward
the small intestine.
The mucosa layer of the stomach is
highly folding into rugae and
contains several specialized gastric
gland cells that secrete juices for
CHEMICAL digestion.
The only absorption that
occurs in the stomach is of
alcohol, caffeine, and aspirin
(these are absorbed by the
stomach lining directly into
the blood)…YIKES!
