The intestine has its own pair of muscle layers like the body, but in reverse order-an inner circular layer inside an outer longitudinal layer.

The smooth muscle throughout most of the GI tract is divided into two layers: an outer longitudinal layer and an inner circular layer.

The outer longitudinal layer of the colon thins out into 3 discontinuous longitudinal bands, known as taeniae coli (bands of the colon).

The inner circular layer is innervated by both excitatory and inhibitory motor neurons, while the outer longitudinal layer is innervated by mainly excitatory neurons.