Small intestine

M. Khoza

Food Processing in Humans Begins in the mouth

Saliva helps dissolve acids and sugars, so that they can be detected by the taste buds

Fig. 41.15

Food Processing in Humans

The muscular tongue manipulates the bolus and passes it to the pharynx

This triggers the swallowing reflex

Fig. 41.16

Food Processing in Humans

The larynx moves upward and tips the epiglottis over the glottis

Fig. 41.16

Food Processing in Humans

The larynx moves upward and tips the epiglottis over the glottis

Fig. 41.16

Food Processing in Humans

Pharynx Epiglottis Esophagus Trachea

Food Processing in Humans

Pharynx Epiglottis Esophagus Trachea

Food Processing in Humans

Pharynx Epiglottis Esophagus Trachea

Uvula

Food Processing in Humans

The esophogeal sphincter relaxes, allowing the esophagus to open

Fig. 41.16

Food Processing in Humans

Once the bolus has entered the esophagus, the larynx moves back down, opening the trachea

Fig. 41.16

Food Processing in Humans

Peristalsis (rhythmic contractions) carries the bolus to the stomach

Fig. 41.16

Stomach
The stomach also secretes a digestive fluid called gastric juice and mixes this secretion with the food. Gastric juice is secreted by the epithelium lining.
With a high concentration of hydrochloric acid, the pH of the gastric juice is about 2.

Also present in gastric juice is pepsin, an enzyme that begins the hydrolysis of proteins

Mechanism against self-digestion

Pepsin is secreted in an inactive form, called pepsinogen by specialized chief cells in gastric pits. Parietal cells, also in the pits, secrete hydrochloric acid which converts pepsinogen to the active pepsin.

Food Processing in Humans The stomach is in the upper abdominal cavity, just below the diaphragm

Fig. 41.15

Food Processing in Humans The stomach secretes gastric juice and mixes it with swallowed food Gastric juice contains hydrochloric acid and pepsin

Fig. 41.15

Food Processing in Humans Mucus coating helps prevent digestion of the stomach itself

Fig. 41.15

Food Processing in Humans Food and gastric juice become acid chyme Acid chyme is kept in the stomach by the pyloric sphincter

Fig. 41.15

Food Processing in Humans Digestion continues in the small intestine Small diameter, muscular tube

Fig. 41.15

Small intestine

Introduction
The surface area of the small intestine is enlarged with folds of the long tube. It is divided into 3 sections called the:
Duodenum Jejunum And the ileum.

Division of the small intestine

Most digestion occurs in the duodenum. The other two sections of the small intestine, the jejunum and ileum, function mainly in the absorption of nutrients and water.

Duodenum
This is the shortest, widest part of the small intestine. The inlet of the common bile-pancreatic duct leads into the duodenum. The main function of the duodenum is to make sure that acid chyme from the stomach is neutralised.

Duodenum
Sodium bicarbonate is released in the bile, the pancreatic juice and from the Brunner's gland and crypts of lieberkuhn. Sodium bicarbonate neutralises the acid chyme.

Food Processing in Humans Digestion continues in the small intestine In the first section, digestive secretions are added from the pancreas, gallbladder, and intestine itself

Fig. 41.15

Food Processing in Humans Pancreatic juice: Sodium bicarbonate, which neutralizes the acid chyme

Fig. 41.19

Food Processing in Humans Pancreatic juice: Amylases, lipases, nucleases, proteases (hydrolytic enzymes)

Fig. 41.19

Food Processing in Humans Bile: Produced in the liver, stored in the gall bladder, and contains bile salts

Fig. 41.19

Food Processing in Humans Bile: A detergent that helps disperse fats into droplets, thereby aiding their digestion (since they arrive essentially intact to the first portion of the small intestine)

Fig. 41.19

Jejunum
This part of the small intestine is about 2 meters long. Its main function is digestion of chyme. i.e (food + enzymes) Some absorption occurs if the food is in its monomer state.

Food Processing in Humans Most absorption of nutrients occurs in the small intestine

Fig. 41.15

Ileum
This is the last part of the small intestine and joins onto the colon. Its main function is to absorb (take in) nutrients into the blood.(Absorption) The ileocaecal valve, at the end of the ileum, stays closed until the most of the food in the small intestine is absorbed.

Food Processing in Humans Most absorption of nutrients occurs in the small intestine

SEM

Fig. 41.23

The Villi
Absorption of digested food takes place mainly through the villi (singular = villus). They are finger-like projections about 1 mm long that are located throughout the small intestine.

Food Processing in Humans Most absorption of nutrients occurs in the small intestine

Fig. 41.23

Villi
They are well suited for their function in that: The villi and micro-villi increase the surface area for absorption They have a single layer of columnar epithelial cells for easy diffusion of the nutrients They are kept moist by goblet cells in the columnar epithelial cells, which secrete mucus.

Food Processing in Humans Folds, villi, and microvilli create a very large surface area for absorption

Fig. 41.23

Food Processing in Humans Capillaries line the core of each villus, surrounding a lacteal (part of the lymphatic system)

Fig. 41.23

Villi
They ensure that the absorptive surface is in close contact with the chyme They have an efficient transport system because of the capillary network in each villus. This means that they have a very good blood supply to maintain the concentration gradient.

Food Processing in Humans Most nutrients are absorbed into capillaries that converge in the hepatic portal vessel (leads to the liver)

Fig. 41.23

Food Processing in Humans Fats are absorbed into the lacteals, which lead through the lymphatic system to large veins of the circ. system

Fig. 41.23

Food Processing in Humans The small intestine meets the large intestine (colon) at a T-junction

One arm of the T is a cecum and its appendix, whereas the other arm leads upward

Chapter 1

Fig. 41.15

Absorption by the villus

Nutrients such as:
Glucose Fructose Amino acids Vitamins Minerals salt are absorbed into the villus by passive transport, Active transport and the pumping action of the villus. and follows the following path:

and follows the following path: Absorbed nutrients blood capillaries

Superior masenteric artery

Venule

Hepatic portal vein

Liver

Absorption by the villus

Fatty acids and glycerol molecules from the hydrolysis of lipids by the enzyme lipase pass through the columnar epithelium. As soon as they are through they join again into lipids. They are now too large to pass into the capillary networks, so they move into the lacteal located in the centre of the villus.

Absorption by the villus

The substance in the lacteal located in the centre of the villus. The substance in the lacteal is called chyle. i.e. (lymph fluid + fats). The chyle flows into the lymph system and enters the general blood system at the junction of the subclavian and jugular veins.

Associated organs of the digestive system

The liver and pancreas are both digestive glands that produce digestive juices.

The liver
Its produces bile, which is stored in the gall bladder.

The gall bladder opens into duodenum, through the common bilepancreatic duct.

The liver functions

The livers functions are easy to remembered using the mnemonics Dolls Are Fat Bags. in this way:
D - detoxification A - amino acid metabolism F - fat formation B bile secretion

D = detoxification
The liver converts harmful substances like alcohol, drugs and toxins into insoluble substance, which are removed by the kidney when they filter the blood. The toxins are passed out of the body in the urine. When alcohol and drugs are abused, the liver will suffer damage and eventually sclerosis of the liver will results.

A- Amino acid ,metabolism

Protein cannot be stored by the body, so excess amino acids are broken down into glucose and urea. This process is called deamination. The glucose is converted into glycogen and stored. The urea is insoluble and is removed when the kidneys filter the blood. The urea passes out of the body in the urine.

F fat formation
Fat is stored in the adipose tissue below the skin.

B bile secretion
It is where the bile performs the following functions in the duodenum. It emulsifies fats, in other words, it breaks the fats up into little particles top increase the surface area for the enzyme lipase. It nuetralises acid chyme from the stomach because it contains sodium bicarbonate.

 This prevents the enzymes in the small intestine from being denatured. It assists with peristalsis. It also act as an antiseptic (antibacteria) in the small intestine. It assists in the absorption of vitamins D, E, A and K because bile aids the absorption of fats.

S Storage of vitamins
It store vitamin D, E, A, K (fat soluble) and of iron.

S - Storage of glycogen
It is caused by the hormone insulin.

The liver
The liver produces plasma proteins like fibrinogen and albumin. It also forms heparin, which is a natural anticoagulant and prevents blood clotting inside the blood vessels.

Note:
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