What is peristalsis?
It is called the peristalsis. Gray's Anatomy (1918) describes it as wave-like muscular contractions.
What it is
- Wave-like muscular contractions.
- Not a structure but a process, driven by the smooth muscle of the digestive tract.
- Moves food and waste through the digestive tube.
Where it is
- Occurs throughout the digestive tract, from esophagus to rectum.
- Also occurs in the ureters and bile ducts.
- Coordinated by the enteric nervous system.
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Last verified: 2026-07-18
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