The stomach is a J-shaped muscular sac between the esophagus and the duodenum. It stores food, mixes it with acid and enzymes and releases chyme into the small intestine. Its regions are the cardia, fundus, body and pylorus, and the vagus nerve and celiac trunk branches supply it.
| Location | Left upper abdomen, under the left dome of the diaphragm. |
|---|---|
| Structure | Cardia, fundus, body, pyloric antrum and pylorus; greater and lesser curvatures; rugae; muscular wall with an extra oblique layer. |
| Function | Stores and churns food, secretes hydrochloric acid, pepsin and intrinsic factor, and regulates gastric emptying. |
| Blood supply | Left and right gastric, left and right gastro-omental, and short gastric arteries from the celiac trunk. |
| Innervation | Vagus nerves (parasympathetic) and the celiac plexus (sympathetic). |
3D model: BodyParts3D (CC BY 4.0), adult male reference anatomy. Highlighted structure shown with nearby bones for context.
The pyloric sphincter controls the passage of food into the duodenum. The gastroesophageal junction has a physiological sphincter that helps to prevent reflux.
The cardia, fundus, body and pylorus.
Hydrochloric acid, pepsinogen, mucus, intrinsic factor and hormones such as gastrin.
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