Crossword clues for peristalsis
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Peristalsis \Per`i*stal"sis\, n. [NL. See Peristaltic.] (Physiol.) Peristaltic contraction or action.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1859, Modern Latin peristalsis; see peristaltic.
Wiktionary
n. (context medicine English) The rhythmic, wave-like contraction of the digestive tract that forces food through it.
WordNet
n. the process of wave-like muscle contractions of the alimentary tract that moves food along [syn: vermiculation] [ant: anastalsis]
[also: peristalses (pl)]
Wikipedia
Peristalsis is a radially symmetrical contraction and relaxation of muscles that propagates in a wave down a tube, in an anterograde direction.
In much of a digestive tract such as the human gastrointestinal tract, smooth muscle tissue contracts in sequence to produce a peristaltic wave, which propels a ball of food (called a bolus while in the esophagus and upper gastrointestinal tract and chyme in the stomach) along the tract. Peristaltic movement comprises relaxation of circular smooth muscles, then their contraction behind the chewed material to keep it from moving backward, then longitudinal contraction to push it forward.
Earthworms use a similar mechanism to drive their locomotion, and some modern machinery imitates this design.
The word comes from New Latin and is derived from the Greek peristellein, "to wrap around," from peri-, "around" + stellein, "draw in, bring together; set in order".
Usage examples of "peristalsis".
The rocks were rubbing against the car under peristalsis, trying to break it down into smaller pieces for the murky digestive juices to work on.
Oubliette was sucking on the mouth-organ and clenching her sphincter on the anus-organ and performing her patented peristalsis on the center pipe organ.