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Function of the Cecum
The cecum is supposed to be the first part of the large intestine where the digested food enters from the small intestine. Partially digested food known as chyme enters into the cecum through the ileocecal sphincter, which opens and closes at regular intervals. Chyme inside the cecum is mixed with various bacterial enzymes and mucus before pushing it towards the ascending colon. Various functions performed by cecum are Liquid Receptacle, Absorbing Salts, lubrication and Cellulose Breakdown.
Liquid Receptacle: Cecum acts as a liquid receptacle. The small intestine absorbs all the nutrients from the food and transfers the solid and liquid waste towards the large intestine. The cecum is the first part of the large intestine helps in receiving the liquid waste and helps in absorbing liquid from the wastage.
Absorbing Salts: Apart from being a reservoir for liquid waste the cecum also helps in absorbing the salts and electrolytes from the liquid food waste. There is a continuous loss of salts and electrolytes from the body while sweating. The contraction in the cecum muscles helps in the churning of the liquid waste food, while the mucous membrane of the cecum wall, in turn, helps in absorbing the salts and electrolytes and helps in replenishing our body of lost salts and minerals.
Lubrication: The lining of the cecum has numerous mucous producing cells. The cells help in lubricating and transferring of the solid waste through the large intestine. The large intestine absorbs water from the solid waste which makes the solid waste to move further. Lubrication of the solid waste by mucus walls of cecum helps in the movement of the solid waste through rest of the large intestine.
Cellulose Breakdown: Cecum also has essential cellulose-digesting enzymes, which help in breaking the cellulose fibers. The enzymes in the cecum help in fermentation and breaking down of cellulose fibers so that it can be easily digested later in the large intestine. Thus, cecum forms an essential part of the digestive system for many plant-eating herbivore animals and is found to be bigger in size as compared to omnivores, where cecum is very small and non-essential.