← Chapter 23
Anatomy & Physiology · Chapter 23
Peristalsis & Segmentation
The gut wall's smooth muscle moves food two ways:
peristalsis
pushes it
along
, and
segmentation
mixes
it in place. Switch between them and watch.
Peristalsis
⏸ Pause
Gut motility
move it or mix it
➡️ Peristalsis
🔀 Segmentation
📷 Reference image
A real labeled figure to compare with the interactive above.
Peristalsis & Segmentation — OpenStax, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)