When you swallow food, it enters a long tube, called the digestive tract (gut). This tract has several main sections - the mouth, pharynx (throat), oesphagus, stomach, and intestines - each of which has a special role in digestion. When food reaches the small intestine, it passes through the intestine lining into the body. This process is called absorption. The lining of the small intestine has thousands of tiny finger-or tongue-shaped parts called villi, which are themselves covered by thousands of microvilli. The villi absorb digested food into the blood, to be distributed to the body tissues. The digestive system as a whole also includes the pancreas, liver, and gall bladder, which make and distribute different digestive juices.