ABSTRACT
Major functions of the colon include storage and absorption of digestive material. By absorbing most of the water and salt presented to it, the colon responds to body requirements and plays an essential role in protecting the body against dehydration and electrolyte depletion. The absorptive capability enables the colon to reduce the volume of fluid material received from the small bowel and to transform it into a semisolid mass suitable for defecation. The propulsion of feces toward the rectum and the storage of this material between defecations are the result of complex and poorly understood patterns of motility. Other functions of the large bowel include digestion of carbohydrate and protein residues and secretion of mucus.
