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INTRODUCTION
Every cell of the body requires nutrients, yet most cells cannot leave
their position in the body and travel to a food source. The DIGESTIVE
SYSTEM must help deliver food to them
FUNCTIONS OF THE DIGESTIVE
SYSTEM
Ingestion of food: food and water enter the body through the
mouth
Digestion of food: during process of digestion, food is broken down
from complex particles to smaller molecules than can be absorbed
Absorption of nutrients: The epithelial cells that line the lumen of the
small intestine absorb the small molecules of nutrients (amino acids,
monosaccharides, fatty acids, vitamins minerals, water) that result
from the digestive process
Elimination of wastes: undigested material such as fiber from food,
plus waste products excreted into the digestive tract are eliminated
in the feces
ANATOMY AND HISTOLOGY OF THE
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Consists of the Digestive Tract or Gastrointestinal (GI) Tract plus
specific associated organs
The digestive tract is consists of the oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus,
stomach, small intestine, large intestine and anus
Salivary glands empty into the oral cavity and the liver and
pancreas are connected to the small intestine
Four layers or tunics
Mucosa
Submucosa
Muscularis
Serosa/Adventitia
Mucosa
PALATE: rood of the oral cavity, separates the oral cavity from the
nasal cavity and prevents food from passing into the nasal cavity
during chewing and swallowing
Consists of : HARD AND SOFT PALATE
HARD PALATE: anterior part contains bone
SOFT PALATE: posterior portion consists of skeletal muscle and
connective tissue
UVULA: a posterior extension of the soft palate
TONSILS: located in the lateral walls of the oral cavity, in the
nasopharynx and in the posterior surface of the tongue
SALIVARY GLANDS
Helps keep the oral cavity moist and contains enzymes that begin
the process of digestion
Saliva is secreted at the rate approximately 1 liter (L) per day
It contains an enzyme called salivary amylase, which enhances the
sweet taste of food because it breaks down covalent bonds
between glucose molecules in starch and other polysaccharides to
produce maltose and isomaltose
Saliva protects the mouth from bacterial infection by washing the
oral cavity with LYSOZYME, a mildly antibacterial enzyme
SALIVA
OR THROAT
Connects mouth with the esophagus consists of three parts:
NASOPHARYNX, OROPHARYNX, LARYNGOPHARYNX
Normally only the oropharynx and laryngopharynx transmit food
The posterior wall of the oropharynx and laryngopharynx are formed
by the superior, middle and inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscles
ESOPHAGUS
Pyloric region: the region of the stomach near the pyloric opening
Muscular layers of the stomach: 1. outer longitudinal layer 4. middle
circular layer 3. inner oblique layer
These muscular layers produce a churning action in the stomach
important in the digestive process
The submucosa and mucosa of the stomach are thrown into large
folds called RUGAE when the stomach is empty. These folds allow
the mucosa and submucosa to stretch and the folds disappear as
the stomach filled
The stomach is lined with simple columnar epithelium
The epithelial cells can be divided into 5 groups:
The first group of cells consists surface mucous cells on the inner surface
of the stomach and lining gastric pits (openings for gastric glands);
these cells produce mucus which protects coats and protects the
stomach lining
The remaining 4 cell types are:
1. mucous neck cells: produce mucus
2. parietal cells: produce hydrochloric acid and intrinsic factor
3. endocrine cells, which produce regulatory chemicals
4. Chief cells: produce pepsinogen, a precursor of the protein-digesting
enzyme pepsin
SECRETIONS OF THE STOMACH
Two types of movement that aid digestion and move chime through
the digestive tract : Mixing waves and Peristaltic waves
Both types of movement result from smooth muscle contractions in
the stomach wall. Contractions occur every 20 seconds and
proceed from the body of stomach toward the pyloric sphincter
Relatively weak contractions result in MIXING WAVES, which
thoroughly mix ingested food with stomach secretions to form
chyme
Stronger contractions result in PERISTALTIC WAVES, which force the
chyme toward and through the pyloric sphincter
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SMALL INTESTINE
SMALL INTESTINE (SI)(anatomy)
function explanation
Synthesis of new molecules Liver synthesizes blood proteins, such
as albumin, fibrinogen, globulins and
clotting factors
CONTROLOF BILE SECRETION AND
RELEASE
1. Vagus nerve stimulation causes the gallbladder to contract,
thereby releasing bile into the duodenum
2. Secretin, produced by the duodenum and carried through the
circulation to the liver, stimulates bile secretion by the liver
3. Cholecystokinin, produced by the duodenum and carried
through the circulation to the gallbladder, stimulates the
gallbladder to contract and the sphincters to relax, thereby
releasing bile into the duodenum
4. Bile salts also stimulate bile secretion. Over 90% of bile salts are
reabsorbed in the ileum and returned to the liver, where they
stimulate additional secretion of bile salts
ANATOMY OF THE PANCREAS
PANCREAS
the proximal end of the large intestine where it joins with the small
intestine at the ileocecal junction
Located in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen near the iliac
fossa
The cecum is a sac that extends inferiorly about 6 cm past the
ileocecal junction
Attached to the cecum is a tube about 9 cm long called the
appendix.
COLON
Normally , 18-24 hours are required for material to pass through the
large intestine, in contrast to the 3-5 hours required for chime to
move through the small intestine
While in the colon chyme is converted into FECES (fecal material)
FORMATION OF FECES: involves the absorption of water and salts,
the secretion of mucus and extensive action of microorganisms
The colon stores the feces until they are eliminated by the process of
DEFECATION
Microorganism that inhabit the colon reproduce rapidly and
constitute 30% of the dry weight of feces
Some bacteria in feces synthesize Vit. K and other vitamins
Every 8-12 hours, large parts of the colon undergo MASS
MOVEMENTS ( strong contractions) which propel the colon contents
a considerable distance toward the anus. These mass movements
are common following some meals especially breakfast.
Feces distend the rectal wall and stimulate defecation reflex which
involves local and parasympathetic reflexes
DIGESTION,ABSORPTION AND
TRANSPORT
DIGESTION