The Colon - Ascending - Transverse - Descending - Sigmoid - TeachMeAnatomy The colon (large intestine) is the distal part of the gastrointestinal tract, extending from the cecum to the anal canal. It receives digested food from the small intestine, from which it absorbs water and electrolytes to form faeces. Anatomically, the colon can be divided into four parts - ascending, transverse, descending and sigmoid.