ANATOMIA DEL

APARATO DIGESTIVO

CAVIDAD ORAL

Mouth

Teeth

(mechanical breakdown)

Incisors used for cutting

Canines used for
stabbing and holding
Molars large surface
area used for grinding

Saliva

(chemical breakdown)

Enzyme (speeds up
reactions in the body)
Breaks down
carbohydrate

Mouth (oral cavity)

Regions include the vestibule & oral cavity proper
Roof comprised of hard & soft palate; floor primarily comprised of
tongue

Mucosa of stratified squamous epithelium (non-keratinized)

Joins to the oropharynx at the fauces

Tongue
stratified sqamous epith. over skeletal muscle
intrinsic & extrinsic muscles
papillae
filiform (Heat & Touch)
fungiform (Sweet)
circumvallate (Bitter)

taste buds

Teeth involved in mastication

2 sets of teeth deciduous & permanent
4 types of teeth incisors, cuspids
(canines), bicuspids (premolars), molars

Parts of a tooth
crown dentin surrounded by
enamel, has hollowed pulp cavity
filled with CT pulp
neck at gingival border

root within mandible & maxilla,

has hollowed root canal with BVs
& nerves, root canal opens at
apical foramen

Pharynx
Common passageway for air & food
oropharynx & laryngopharynx lined with
stratified squamous epithelium (nasopharynx
lined with PSCC)
uvula & epiglottis protect airway when
swallowing (deglutition)
nasopharynx

uvula

oropharynx
epiglottis
laryngopharynx

ESOFAGO

Esophagus
muscular tube running from pharynx, posterior to trachea, down thoracic
cavity, through esophageal hiatus of diaphragm, to lower esophageal (a.k.a.
cardiac) sphincter at junction of stomach
functions in deglutition through action of peristalsis
mucosa is simple squamous epithelium
variations in muscularis externa begins as skeletal muscle at upper 1/3,
mixed skeletal & smooth muscle in middle, smooth muscle by lower 1/3

ESTOMAGO

Stomach
Modifications in stomach include 3 layers of smooth
muscle in muscularis externa outer longitudinal, middle
circular, innermost oblique layer

Functions of stomach include

temporary storage of food
mechanical breakdown of food to chyme through
powerful mixing waves
intrinsic factor for vitamin B12 absorption
start of chemical digestion of proteins
pepsin

proteins

HCl

polypeptides

INTESTINO DELGADO

Small Intestine - Anatomy

- connects stomach to large intestine; 15-20 long; 1 diameter; held

together in abdominal cavity by mesentery proper

- site for completion of chemical digestion & absorption of nutrients
- comprised of three regions:
Duodenum 10 in length;
receives chyme from stomach,
secretions from liver,
gallbladder & pancreas
Jejunum 8 long; most
digestion & absorption occurs
here

Ileum 12 long; connects to

cecum of large intestine at
iliocecal valve (sphincter)

Small Intestine
Modifications in mucosa & submucosa of intestinal wall designed to
increase functional surface area:
Plicae circulares (circular folds) large
transverse ridges; most abundant in
jejunum
Villi small finger-like projections of
mucosal folds across surface of intestine
Plicae
circulares

Small Intestine
Intestinal crypts
containing intestinal
glands

Villi

Villi lined with absorptive cells - mucosal epithelium of simple columnar

epithelium with microvilli brush border

Submucosa of each villus contains a capillary network & a lacteal

(lymphatic capillary) for absorption of nutrients
Intestinal glands within intestinal crypts secrete intestinal juice provides
watery medium to keep enzymes & digestive products in solution for help with
absorption

INTESTINO GRUESO

Large Intestine
- Begins at the ilium & ends at the anus; 5 long; 3 in diameter
- main functions H2O reabsorption; absorption of some vitamins & minerals;
formation & temporary storage of fecal material
- no chemical (enzymatic) digestion
but some bacterial
Transverse
colon

- 3 regions: cecum, colon, rectum

Hepatic (rt.
Colic) flexure

Splenic (lt. colic)

flexure

Ascending
colon

Descending
colon
ileum

Ileocecal sphincter

Rectum
Anal canal

Cecum
Sigmoid colon

Vermiform appendix

Rectum
Anal canal

Internal anal
sphincter

Rectum

External anal
sphincter

Anus

Large Intestine
Modifications in muscularis externa & serosa
longitudinal muscle layer forms bands called taeniae coli which create puckers
known as haustra
serosa forms epiploic appendages

haustra
taeniae coli

epiploic appendages

THE END (literally!)

Rectum and Anus

Rectum

About 15cm long

Stores waste before
egestion.

Anus

Muscular ring that

controls egestion.

HIGADO

Liver - Anatomy
Largest organ within the body
Comprised of 4 lobes:
Large right & left lobes divided by falciform ligament;
small caudate (by IVC) & quadrate (by gall bladder ) lobes
falciform ligament continues at inferior margin as
ligamentum teres (round ligament) (remnant of umbilical
vein)
Lobes of liver functionally divided into microscopic lobules

Liver - Histology
Lobules comprised of rows of Hepatocytes arranged radially around a

central vein
Hepatocytes surround blood sinusoids (capillary structures) which are
partially lined with phagocytic Kupffer (aka stellate reticuloendothelial) cells
hepatocytes

central vein

sinusoids

Liver
Hepatocytes produce bile, which gets secreted into bile
canaliculi of lobule
Bile canaliculi merge to form bile ducts which eventually
merge to create the right & left hepatic ducts

Liver & gall bladder

Right & left hepatic ducts unite to form common hepatic duct
which merges with cystic duct of gall bladder to form common
bile duct which joins with pancreatic duct & enters the
Right hepatic duct
Left hepatic duct
duodenum
Gall bladder hollow
muscular sac under right lobe
of liver; stores &
concentrates bile; releases
bile through cystic duct

Bile released into duodenum

functions in emulsification of lipids,
absorption of fats (due to presence
of bile salts), & excretion of bilirubin

Liver - Functions
The liver has over 200 functions including (but not limited to):
Bile production & excretion

Metabolic regulation
storage of glycogen, fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins &
minerals

interconversion of nutrients (gluconeogenesis)

detoxification & removal of drugs, toxins & hormones
hematological regulation

phagocytosis of worn-out RBCs, bacteria & other

pathogens
synthesis of plasma proteins

Blood Supply to Liver

In order for the liver to perform all of its functions, it receives
blood through 2 vessels:

Hepatic artery - delivers oxygenated blood into sinusoids of

liver
Hepatic Portal vein delivers de-oxygenated, nutrient-rich
blood from digestive organs to sinusoids of liver

Liver uses O2 & nutrients within blood of sinusoids & then blood
drains into central veins of lobule which merge to form the
hepatic veins, which drain into the IVC

PANCREAS

Pancreas Retroperitoneal elongated

Stomach

Tail
Body
Head
Duodenum

Pancreatic
duct

organ
Both endocrine (pancreatic
islets of Langerhans
secretes insulin & glucagon)
& exocrine gland (pancreatic
acini secretes pancreatic
juice)

Pancreas
Pancreatic juice mixture of enzymes & buffers (sodium
bicarbonate) secreted by acinar cells into pancreatic duct &
released into duodenum

pancreatic amylase
Starch
lipase

Lipids

maltose

fatty acids + monoglycerol

proteases (trypsin, chymotrypsin, carboxypeptidase)

Proteins & polypeptides
nucleases digest RNA & DNA

small peptides
tri & dipeptides

sodium bicarbonate neutralizes acidic chyme

because enzymes in small intestine need an alkaline pH

Pancreatic & bile ducts

Common bile duct
Accessory
pancreatic duct

Stomach

Tail

Body
Head

Pancreatic duct

PERITONEO Y
MESENTERIO

Peritoneum & Mesenteries

The abdominal cavity is lined with parietal
peritoneum & many of the organs within are
covered with visceral peritoneum
Folds of peritoneum called mesenteries attach
some organs to others
greater omentum
lesser omentum

mesentery proper
mesocolon

IRRIGACION E INERVACION