Mass movements propel feces long distances.

Three to four times a day, generally aft er meals, a marked increase in motility
takes place during which large segments of the ascending and transverse colon
contract simultaneously,driving the feces one third to three fourths of the length of
thecolon in a few seconds. Th ese massive contractions, appropriately called mass
movements,drive the colonic contents into the distal part of the large intestine,
where material is stored until defecation occurs.
When food enters the stomach, mass movements are triggered in the colon
primarily by the gastrocolic refl ex, which is mediated from the stomach to the
colon by gastrin and by the extrinsic autonomic nerves. In many people, this refl ex
is most evident aft er the fi rst meal of the day and is often followed by the urge to
defecate. Th us, when a new meal enters the digestive tract, reflexes are initiated to
move the existing contents farther along down the tract to make way for the
incoming food. Th e gastroileal reflex moves the remaining smallintestine contents
into the large intestine, and the gastrocolic reflex pushes the colonic contents into
the rectum, triggering the defecation reflex.
Modulation of colon motility
All described colon movements grow in intensity and frequency when two reflexes
are triggered:
1) Gastrocolic reflex
2) Duodenocolic reflex
Gastrocolic reflex
Gastrocolic reflex is triggered by a high tension in the stomach wall. Myenteric
plexus transports this signal through to the colon that increases the frequency of
haustra formation.
Duodenocolic reflex
Duodenocolic reflex is triggered by a high tension in the duodenal wall. Signal
spreads through the myenteric plexus to the colon and increases the frequency of
action potentials in the smooth muscle cells. That increases speed of the propulsion
movements.