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| ==Innervation== | | ==Innervation== |
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− | *Like the [[Small Intestine - Anatomy & Physiology|small intestine]], the large intestine recieves sympathetic and parasympathetic innervation. | + | *Similar to the [[Small Intestine - Anatomy & Physiology|small intestine]], there are pacemaker cells that generate an action potential. |
| + | *Cells are able to function as a syncytium due to gap junctions, allowing the action potential to spread. |
| + | **Contractions are generated in the forward (peristaltic) and backward (antiperistaltic) directions. Antiperistaltic contractions move ingesta into the caecum in some species. |
| + | *The formation of action potentials is under a much stronger neural influence than in the [[Forestomach - Anatomy & Physiology|stomach]] and [[Small Intestine - Anatomy & Physiology|small intestine]]. |
| + | *The large intestine recieves sympathetic and parasympathetic innervation. |
| *Neurones interact with the myenteric plexus to affect contractility, and with the submucosal plexus to affect secretions. | | *Neurones interact with the myenteric plexus to affect contractility, and with the submucosal plexus to affect secretions. |
| **The '''sympathetic '''have coeliac, cranial mesenteric and caudal mesenteric ganglia. | | **The '''sympathetic '''have coeliac, cranial mesenteric and caudal mesenteric ganglia. |
| **As the sympathetic fibres leave the ganglia, they surround their respective artery. | | **As the sympathetic fibres leave the ganglia, they surround their respective artery. |
− | **'''Parasympathetic''' innervation stimulates peristalsis. | + | *Parasympathetic innervation increases the frequency of action potentials and thus stimulates peristalsis. |
| + | *Sympathetic innervation has the opposite effect. |
| + | *Motility of the large intestine increases during meals, possibly as a result of gastrin and cholecystokinin secretion. |
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| ==Lymphatics== | | ==Lymphatics== |