The colon is the area of the large intestine from the ilium to the anal canal; it is divided into the ascending, transverse, descending and sigmoid colon. The mechanical function of the organ is the mixing of the intestinal contents whilst the main chemical function is the absorption of water from the bowel contents so that the feces can be created.
The normal flora in the colon include Escherichia coli and members of the Bacteroides species.