Chapter17: Small Intestine & Colon

Question 1

The small intestine and colon account for the majority of GI tract length and are the sites of a
broad array of diseases.

Some of these relate to nutrient and water transport.

Perturbation of these processes can cause malabsorption and diarrhea.

The intestines are also the principal
site where the immune system interfaces with a diverse array of antigens present in food and
gut microbes.

Indeed, intestinal bacteria outnumber eukaryotic cells in our bodies by tenfold.
Thus, it is not surprising that the small intestine and colon are frequently involved by infectious
and inflammatory processes.

Finally, the colon is the most common site of GI neoplasia in
Western populations.