Which of the following structure guards the opening of tube that passes bolus to stomach?
Solution:
The tube that passes bolus (chewed food) to the stomach is the oesophagus. The opening of the oesophagus into the stomach is guarded by the gastro-oesophageal sphincter, also known as the cardiac sphincter. This sphincter prevents the backflow of acidic stomach contents into the oesophagus.
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Sphincter of Oddi: Guards the opening of the common bile duct and pancreatic duct into the duodenum.
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Sphincter of Boyden: A sphincter located in the common bile duct.
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Ileo-caecal valve: Guards the opening between the ileum (last part of the small intestine) and the caecum (first part of the large intestine), preventing the backflow of faecal matter into the small intestine.