tract (trakt)
Gastrointestinal tract
gastrointestinal tract.
tract [trakt]
1. a region, principally one of some length.
2. a bundle of nerve fibers having a common origin, function, and termination.
3. a number of organs, arranged in series and serving a common function.
alimentary tract see under canal.
atriohisian tracts myocardial fibers that bypass the physiologic delay of the atrioventricular node and connect the atrium directly to the bundle of His, allowing preexcitation of the ventricle.
biliary tract the organs, ducts, etc., participating in secretion (the liver), storage (the gallbladder), and delivery (hepatic and bile ducts) of bile into the duodenum.
digestive tract alimentary canal.
dorsolateral tract a group of nerve fibers in the lateral funiculus of the spinal cord dorsal to the posterior column.
extracorticospinal tract , extrapyramidal tract extrapyramidal system.
Flechsig's tract posterior spinocerebellar t.
gastrointestinal tract the stomach and intestine in continuity.
genitourinary tract urogenital system.
Gowers' tract anterior spinocerebellar t.
iliotibial tract a thickened longitudinal band of fascia lata extending from the tensor muscle downward to the lateral condyle of the tibia.
intestinal tract the small and large intestines in continuity.
nigrostriatal tract a bundle of nerve fibers extending from the substantia nigra to the globus pallidus and putamen in the corpus striatum; injury to it may be a cause of parkinsonism.
optic tract the nerve tract proceeding backward from the optic chiasm, around the cerebral peduncle, and dividing into a lateral and medial root, which end in the superior colliculus and lateral geniculate body, respectively.
pyramidal tract two groups of nerve fibers arising in the brain and passing down through the spinal cord to motor cells in the anterior horns.
respiratory tract see under system.
reticulospinal tract a group of fibers arising mostly from the reticular formation of the pons and medulla oblongata; chiefly homolateral, the fibers descend in the ventral and lateral funiculi to most levels of the spinal cord.
spinocerebellar tract, anterior a group of nerve fibers in the lateral funiculus of the spinal cord, arising mostly in the gray matter of the opposite side, and ascending to the cerebellum through the superior cerebellar peduncle.
spinocerebellar tract, posterior a group of nerve fibers in the lateral funiculus of the spinal cord, arising mostly from the nucleus thoracicus, and ascending to the cerebellum through the inferior cerebellar peduncle.
spinothalamic tract a group of nerve fibers in the lateral funiculus of the spinal cord that arise in the opposite gray matter and ascend to the thalamus, carrying the sensory impulses activated by pain and temperature.
urinary tract
1. see under system.
2. sometimes more specifically the conduits leading from the pelvis of the kidneys to the urinary meatus.
urogenital tract see under system.
uveal tract the vascular tunic of the eye, comprising the choroid, ciliary body, and iris.
| gastrointestinal tract n. The part of the digestive system consisting of the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. |
Gastrointestinal tract
The entire length of the digestive system, running from the stomach, through the small intestine, large intestine, and out the rectum and anus.
Mentioned in: Antiulcer Drugs, Crohn's Disease
gastrointestinal tract.
See digestive tract.
tract [trakt]
a longitudinal assemblage of tissues or organs, especially a number of anatomic structures arranged in series and serving a common function, such as the gastrointestinal or urinary tract; also used in reference to a bundle (or fasciculus) of nerve fibers having a common origin, function, and termination within the central nervous system.
alimentary tract alimentary canal.
biliary tract the organs, ducts, and other structures that participate in secretion (the liver), storage (the gallbladder), and delivery (hepatic and bile ducts) of bile into the duodenum. See illustration.
Anatomy of the gallbladder and biliary tract. From Aspinall and Taylor-Robinson, 2002.
corticospinal t's two groups of nerve fibers (the anterior and lateral corticospinal tracts) that originate in the cerebral cortex and run through the spinal cord.
digestive tract alimentary canal.
dorsolateral tract a group of nerve fibers in the lateral funiculus of the spinal cord dorsal to the posterior column.
extrapyramidal tract extrapyramidal system.
gastrointestinal tract the stomach and intestine in continuity; see also digestive system.
iliotibial tract a thickened longitudinal band of fascia lata extending from the tensor muscle downward to the lateral condyle of the tibia.
intestinal tract see intestinal tract.
optic tract the nerve tract proceeding backward from the optic chiasm, around the cerebral peduncle, and dividing into a lateral and medial root, which end in the superior colliculus and lateral geniculate body, respectively.
pyramidal t's collections of motor nerve fibers arising in the brain and passing down through the spinal cord to motor cells in the anterior horns.
respiratory tract respiratory system.
urinary tract the organs and passageways concerned in the production and excretion of urine from the kidneys to the urinary meatus; see also urinary system.
uveal tract the vascular tunic of the eye, comprising the choroid, ciliary body, and iris.
gastrointestinal
pertaining to the stomach and intestine.
gastrointestinal foreign body
see intestinal obstruction.
gastrointestinal hormones
hormones secreted by the gastrointestinal epithelium that affect the function of the tract itself and of its allied organs, e.g. gastrin, glucagon, enteroglucagon, somatostatin, secretin, cholecystokinin-pancreozymin, motilin, gastric inhibitory polypeptide, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide.
gastrointestinal series
a radiological examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract using barium as the contrast medium for a series of x-ray films. Called also a barium meal. See barium study.
gastrointestinal tract
the stomach and intestines in continuity. See also digestive system.
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