Esophagus and Stomach

Esophagus

It is a thick walled muscular tube located behind the larynx (vocal cords) and pharynx (wind pipe).It is through this tube that the bolus created in the mouth is carried to the stomach by a process called peristalsis.

Stomach

This is a muscular pouch located in the abdominal cavity. The stomach is responsible for the storage of food, aids in the digestion of protein and then prepares it for further digestion in the small intestine. The stomach produces gastric juices which contain hydrochloric acid that churns on the bolus to form a soapy mixture. The gastric glands of the stomach secrete pepsinogen which is later converted into the enzyme pepsin in the presence of hydrochloric acid. The enzyme pepsin is responsible for the breakdown of proteins into smaller units called peptides. The movement of food from the stomach to the small intestine is controlled by a sphincter muscle.