The digestive system is made up of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract—also called the digestive tract—and the liver, pancreas,
and gallbladder. The GI tract is a series
of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting tube from the mouth to the anus. The hollow organs that make up the GI tract
are the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine—which includes the rectum—and anus. Food enters the mouth and passes to the anus through the hollow organs of the GI tract. The liver, pancreas, and gallbladder are the solid organs of the digestive system. The digestive system helps the body digest food.
Bacteria in the GI tract, also called gut flora or microbiome, help with digestion. Parts of the nervous and circulatory systems also play roles in the digestive process. Together, a combination of nerves, hormones, bacteria, blood, and the organs of the digestive system completes the complex task of digesting
the foods and liquids a person consumes each day.