Function of parts of

Digestive System
SALIVARY GLAND- to make saliva and help the bolus (soft mass of chewed food) go down the esophagus easily. Saliva contains enzymes which help break down food to a form which the body can use. PAROTID GLAND- secretes saliva through Stensen's ducts into the oral cavity, to facilitate mastication and swallowing and to begin the digestion of starches. SUBMANDIBULAR GLANDS- produces a mixed serous and mucous secretion. SUBLINGUAL GLANDS- secrete saliva that is predominantly mucous in character. They are the glands that produce mucin and help promote the production of saliva. Serous cells, which secrete a watery fluid, essentially devoid of mucus. Mucous cells, which produce a very mucus-rich secretion. PHARYNX- receives the food from your mouth. Branching off the pharynx is the esophagus, which carries food to the stomach ORAL CAVITY- used for selection of food, grinding of food, lubrication and digestion TONGUE- allow an even breakdown of the food by the teeth, allows you to swallow your food, responsible for taste and coats the food with saliva which helps it get digested in the stomach ESOPHAGUS- connects the mouth to the stomach and transports the food to stomach, so the digestion process can continue. DIAPHRAGM- It is for separating between the respiratory and the digestive system. But it's main function is for respiration. Without it we can't breathe because it contracts and moves down to make us inhale and goes upward and expands to make us exhale. LIVER- It cleans out your blood making a healthier digestive system. True, but in digestion its primary purpose is to provide bile, which is stored in the gallbladder, and released into the intestines when eating to help emulsify fat. This emulsification aids in the function of the enzyme lipase, which is what actually digests the fat. The bile is actually a by-product of the filtering action of the liver, and has a laxative effect. GALL BLADDER - for storing, concentrating and secreting bile (which is produced in the liver) into the duodenum (the first part of the small intestines) STOMACH- for storing the food we eat, breaking down the food into a liquidly mixture called chime, mixing enzymes which is are chemicals that break down food and slowly empties that liquidly mixture into the small intestine. PANCREAS- responsible for Producing proteolytic (protein splitting) enzymes; these include trypsin, chymotrypsin and carboxypolypeptidase which break down whole and partially digested proteins, and ribonuclease and deoxyribonuclease to split RNA and DNA. It produces amylase to break down carbohydrates into disaccharides. Also produces lipase to break down neutral fat into fatty acids and glycerol. It produces cholesterol esterase to hydrolyze cholesterol esters. It secretes water and bicarbonate ions to make the pancreatic juice alkaline. PANCREATIC DUCT- is a duct joining the pancreas to the common bile duct to supply pancreatic juices which aid in digestion provided by the "exocrine pancreas". COMMON BILE DUCT- The hormone cholecystokinin, when stimulated by a fatty meal, promotes bile secretion by increased production of hepatic bile, contraction of the gall bladder, and relaxation of the Sphincter of Oddi. DUODENUM- is responsible for further processing the material from the stomach (called chyme), by secreting enzymes which aid indigestion. Bile and pancreatic juice also enter the duodenum around its midpoint, and by moving the chyme in a shaking kind of motion, the duodenum mixes the chyme with these enzymes within its lumen, further aiding digestion.

TRANSVERSE COLON- it reclaims water from the fecal material and absorbs certain B vitamins and vitamin K which are produced by the intestinal flora ASCENDING COLON- connects and continues the work of the small intestine in moving food along on its journey through the body. This digested food matter is known as "chyme." Water and nutrients are extracted during this whole process, making overall colon function extremely important to a healthy lifestyle. DESCENDING COLON- It primarily serves to absorb water from fecal matter. It also stores food particles that are to be emptied into the rectum. While working in a downward movement, this organ continues to push the digested waste products. The wastes move downwards from the transverse colon to the sigmoid colon. They ultimately enter the rectum to be expelled during excretion. While moving the waste material, the descending colon also continues to take out any remaining nutrients and water from them. SMALL INTESTINE- responsible for the absorption of nutrients and minerals found in food CECUM- is to absorb fluids and salts that remain after completion of intestinal digestion and absorption and to mix its contents with a lubricating substance, mucus. The internal wall of the cecum is composed of a thick mucous membrane through which water and salts are absorbed. Beneath this lining is a deep layer of muscle tissue that produces churning and kneading motions. APPENDIX- helps protect the digestive tract from the huge amount of pathogens which enter it. It also destroys bacteria (which are present in large numbers in the intestine) it therefore prevents these bacteria from getting outside the intestine wall. RECTUM- is to act as a temporary storage site for fecal matter before it is eliminated from the body through the anal canal. As the food you eat passes through the digestive system, it is broken down and nutrients are absorbed in the stomach, small and large intestines. Fecal matter, which includes digestive juices, bacteria and fiber, continues to move into the lower portion of the large intestine -- the rectum. The rectum holds the feces until you push it out of the body, through the anal canal, by having a bowel movement. ANAL CANAL- serves to lubricate and transmit fecal matter as it passes from the rectum to outside the body. It helps regulate defecation and maintain continence (voluntary control over fecal discharge). ANUS- controls the expulsion of the feces. The flow of feces through the anus is controlled by the anal sphincter muscle. The internal and external sphincter muscles relax, allowing the feces to be passed by muscles and pulling the anus up over the exiting feces.