foregut

The foregut in humans is the anterior part of the alimentary canal, from the proximal esophagus to the first half of the duodenum, at the entrance of the bile duct. Beyond the stomach, the foregut is attached to the abdominal walls by mesentery. The foregut arises from the endoderm, developing from the folding primitive gut, and is developmentally distinct from the midgut and hindgut. Although the term “foregut” is typically used in reference to the anterior section of the primitive gut, components of the adult gut can also be described with this designation. Pain in the epigastric region, just below the intersection of the ribs, typically refers to structures in the adult foregut.

==Adult foregut== ===Components=== Esophagus Respiratory tract (lower respiratory tract) Stomach Duodenum (up to ampulla of vater) Liver Gallbladder Pancreas Spleen – The spleen arises from the mesodermal dorsal mesentery (the foregut arises from the endoderm not mesoderm). But the spleen shares the same blood supply as many of the mature structures that arise from the foregut (i.e. the celiac artery)