Where is distal colon

Mesentery is made of fatty connective tissue that contains blood vessels, nerves, lymph nodes and lymph vessels. The mesocolon is a mesentery that attaches the colon to the wall of the abdomen. The rectum is surrounded by a mesentery called the mesorectum. When part of the colon or rectum is removed to treat cancer, nearby mesentery is also removed.

The lymph nodes within the mesentery are examined to see if they contain cancer cells. The mucosa is the inner lining of the colon and rectum. It is made up of: a thin layer of epithelial cells called the epithelium a layer of connective tissue called the lamina propria a thin layer of muscle called the muscularis mucosa. The submucosa is a layer of connective tissue that surrounds the mucosa.

It contains mucous glands, blood vessels, lymph vessels and nerves. The muscularis propria lies outside the submucosa. It is a thick layer of muscle. It has an inner ring of circular muscle fibres and an outer ring of long muscle fibres that surround the wall of the colon and rectum.

The colon and rectum: absorb water and some nutrients from what we eat and drink form and store stool move waste out of the body. Partly broken down or digested food moves from the small intestine into the colon. Sections of the colon tighten and relax to move the food through the colon and rectum. This movement is called peristalsis. In the colon, bacteria break down food into smaller pieces.

The inner layer of the mucosa called the epithelium absorbs, or takes up, water and some nutrients. The liquid waste remaining in the colon is formed into semi-solid stool. The mucosa also makes mucus that helps stool move easily through the colon and rectum. As stool moves through the colon, more water is absorbed from it and it becomes more solid. Stool leaves the colon and moves into the rectum. The rectum is a holding area for the stool. When the rectum is full, it pushes the stool out of the body through the anus.

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