title: The ileocaecal junction.
abstract: The ileocaecal junction remains a controversial region of the gut. There are still a lot of questions concerning its anatomical structure and function. In this review, a concise overview is given of the recent and older literature on the embryology, anatomy, including the intrinsic and extrinsic innervation, and the pharmacology of this region. Based on the available data from the literature, evidence is accumulating for a sphincteric function.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pathological Anatomy, University of Antwerp (UIA), Belgium.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Bogers
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van Marck
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007080:Ileocecal Valve / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology