MICROANATOMY

Detailed explanation-1: -Overview. Peristalsis is a series of wave-like muscle contractions that move food through the digestive tract. It starts in the esophagus where strong wave-like motions of the smooth muscle move balls of swallowed food to the stomach.

Detailed explanation-2: -Smooth muscle is also found in the walls of hollow organs, such as the esophagus, stomach, and the intestines, to aid in digestion by moving food through the digestive tract.

Detailed explanation-3: -Throughout most of the gastrointestinal tract, smooth muscles are organized into two layers of circularly or longitudinally oriented muscle bundles. Smooth muscle cells form electrical and mechanical junctions between cells that facilitate coordination of contractions.