Crohn’s & Colitis Glossary

Absorption

Your body’s process of taking nutrients from the digestive system into the blood so they can be used elsewhere in the body.

Antibodies

Cells that fight infections or other substances in your blood/body.

Anus

The very last part of the large intestine where the rectum ends.

Colon

The large bowel or large intestine.

Cytokine

A type of protein that is made by certain immune and non-immune cells and has an effect on the immune system.

Digestion

The process of breaking down food into nutrients that can be used by the body.

Dysbiosis

An imbalance in the types of gut bacteria present in the body.

Esophagus

A tube inside the body that connects the mouth to the stomach.

Gastrointestinal (GI) tract

This includes all parts of the body that digest food, including the mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, and anus.

Genes

These are basic units of inheritance that carry the information that determines your features or characteristics. They are passed on to you from your parents.