The mucosa of the small intestine consists of the epithelium, the connective tissue and a thin muscle layer i. The mucosa is highly folded to increase the surface area ii. The second pattern generates peristaltic waves to move the contents forward e. Most of the digestion in the small intestine occurs in the duodenum, the first section 4. The pancreas provides digestive enzymes and bicarbonate ions to lower the pH i. Proteases and peptidases complete the hydrolysis of proteins into amino acids ii.
Nucleases hydrolyze the nucleic acids e.
The large intestine, or the colon or hindgut, is last in the digestive tract a. The colon has three major sections i. The ascending colon extends up the right side of the abdomen ii. The transverse colon crosses over to the left iii. The descending colon extends downward toward the left, ending in the rectum.