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The stomach forms part of the digestive system in which both mechanical and chemical breakdown of food occurs.
In humans, the stomach is a bag-shaped organ, about the size of a closed fist. It has thick, muscular walls and a smooth inner lining of mucus-producing tissue.
Some cells within the lining are specialised to secrete hydrochloric acid.
The regular muscular contractions of the stomach walls (peristalsis) mean that the swallowed food is mixed with the acid and liquified and many of the bacteria that may be present in the food are killed.
Other cells in the stomach secrete proteases and lipases to help with the chemical breakdown of the food.
Anne Evans
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