Colon, ascending

General Information
Latin	colon ascendens
Greek
TA98
TA2
FMA
Details
System	Digestive system
Artery	Ileocolic artery, Right colic artery
Vein	Ileocolic vein, Right colic vein
Nerve	Superior mesenteric plexus
Lymphatic drainage
Precursor	Midgut
Function
Identifiers
Clinical significance
Notes

The ascending colon is a part of the large intestine in the human digestive system. It is a crucial component of the colon, which is responsible for absorbing water and salts from the material that has not been digested as food, and is also involved in the formation of feces.

Anatomy

The ascending colon is the first main part of the colon, extending from the cecum to the transverse colon. It is located on the right side of the abdomen.

Location

The ascending colon begins at the cecum, which is the pouch-like structure that marks the beginning of the large intestine. It travels upward, or superiorly, along the right side of the abdomen until it reaches the hepatic flexure, where it turns to become the transverse colon.

Structure

The wall of the ascending colon is composed of several layers:

• The innermost layer is the mucosa, which contains the epithelium, lamina propria, and muscularis mucosae.
• The next layer is the submucosa, which contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue.
• The muscularis externa consists of an inner circular layer and an outer longitudinal layer of muscle.
• The outermost layer is the serosa, which is part of the peritoneum.

Blood Supply

The ascending colon receives its blood supply from branches of the superior mesenteric artery, specifically the ileocolic artery and the right colic artery. Venous drainage is through the ileocolic vein and the right colic vein, which drain into the superior mesenteric vein.

Innervation

The ascending colon is innervated by the autonomic nervous system. The sympathetic innervation is provided by the superior mesenteric plexus, while the parasympathetic innervation is supplied by the vagus nerve.

Lymphatic Drainage

Lymph from the ascending colon drains into the superior mesenteric lymph nodes.

Function

The primary function of the ascending colon is to absorb the remaining water and salts from the material that has not been digested as food, and to store the remaining waste material until it is ready to be eliminated from the body. The ascending colon also plays a role in the fermentation of unabsorbed material by gut microbiota.

Clinical Significance

The ascending colon can be affected by various medical conditions, including:

• Colorectal cancer: A malignant tumor that can develop in the colon.
• Diverticulitis: Inflammation of diverticula, which are small pouches that can form in the colon wall.
• Crohn's disease: A type of inflammatory bowel disease that can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, including the ascending colon.
• Ulcerative colitis: Another form of inflammatory bowel disease that primarily affects the colon.

Surgical Considerations

Surgical procedures involving the ascending colon may include:

• Colectomy: Surgical removal of part or all of the colon.
• Colostomy: A surgical procedure that creates an opening from the colon to the surface of the abdomen.

See Also

• Digestive system
• Large intestine
• Cecum
• Transverse colon