Stomach

There are four main regions in the stomach: **the cardia**, **fundus**, **body**, and **pylorus**. The cardia (or cardiac region) is the point where the esophagus connects to the stomach and through which food passes into the stomach. Located inferior to the diaphragm, above and to the left of the cardia, is the dome-shaped fundus. The funnel-shaped pylorus connects the stomach to the duodenum. The wider end of the funnel, the pyloric antrum, connects to the body of the stomach. The narrower end is called the pyloric canal, which connects to the duodenum. The smooth muscle pyloric sphincteris located at this latter point of connection and controls stomach emptying. In the absence of food, the stomach deflates inward, and its mucosa and submucosa fall into a large fold called a ruga. The addition of an inner oblique smooth muscle layer gives the muscularis the ability to vigorously churn and mix food.



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## Keywords
stomach the abdominal cavity lining of wall small intestine esophagus juices