THE DIGESTIVE

SYSTEM
Dig est io n
 The process whereby food is broken down
into smaller parts, chemically change and
moved into the gastrointestinal system.
Mechanical Digestion
 Food is broken down into smaller pieces
by the teeth
 It is then moved along the
gastrointestinal tract through the
esophagus, stomach and intestines
 Movement is caused by rhythmic
contraction of the muscular walls of the
tract
PERISTALSIS
Chemical digestion
 Chemical changes occurs through the
addition of water and the resulting splitting,
or breaking down of the food molecules.
HYDROLYSIS
Hydrolysis involves digestive enzymes – act
on food substances, causing them to break
down into simple compounds
Dig est io n in t he Mo uth
 Teeth and tongue begin digestion by
breaking food into smaller pieces
 Salivary Glands begi chemical digestion as
salivary amylase begins to change starch to
Dextrin and Maltose
Dig est io n in t he
st oma ch
Hydrochloric acid prepares the gastric
area for enzyme action
 Pepsin, produced first as inactive
precursor to pepsinogen, then activated
by HCL
 In infants, enzyme Rennin casein to
coagulated curd (breaks milk protein)
 Lipase acts on emulsified fats
 Tributyrinase
Di gesti on on the Small
intesti ne
produces bile

stores bile and releases it into

small intestine to emulsify fats

Produce enzymes, then are

released into the small intestine
Carbohydrates:

Pancreatic Amylase – AMYLOPSIN

 Converts starch to dextrin and Maltose
Intestinal Juices that contain enzymes:
 Lactase, Sucrase and Maltase
 Converts disaccharide to
monosaccharide
Fat
 Pancreatic lipase – turn triglycerides to
digyceride and monoglyceride to fatty
acids and glycerol
 Bile Salt – emulsifies fats
Protein
Pancreatic Proteases:
 Trypsin – converts proteins, proteases and
peptones to polypeptides and peptides
 Chrymotypsin – converts proteases and peptones
to polypeptides and dipeptides also coagulates
milk
 Carboxypeptidase – converts simpler peptides,
dipeptides and amino acids
Amiinopeptidase – converts polypeptides to
peptides and amino acids
Dipeptidase – converts dipeptides to amino acids
The Large intestine
 Absorbs water and some other nutrients,
and collects food residue for excretion
ABS ORPTI ON
Is the passage of nutrients into the blood or
lymphatic system
Small Intestine
 Villi absorbs nutrients from the chyme, then
transferred them to the bloodstream
 Glucose, fructose, galactose,amino acids,
minerals and some water soluble vitamins are
absorb by the capillaries
 Fructose and galactose are carried to the liver –
converted to glucose
 Lacteals absorbs glycerol and fatty acids in
addition to fat soluble vitamins
Large Intestine
 Absorbs water
 Synthesize some B vitamins and vitamin K
(essential for blood clotting)
 Collect food residue – food that cannot be
digested and absorb (dietary fiber)
MET ABOL IS M
 Nutrients are carried by the blood to the
cells of the body, within the cell, nutrients
are changed into energy through a process
 Governed by hormone secretions
 Thyroxine and Triiodothyronine –
stimulates metabolism
 Calcitonin – reduces blood calcium level
 Anti-diuretic Hormone – promotes
retention of water
 Lipotropin – release and oxidation of fats
from adipose tissue
 Parathyroid hormone – raises blood
calcium level
 Aldosterone – promote reabsorption of Na
and K in kidneys,
 Insulin – reduces blood glucose
 Glucagon – raises blood glucose
 Gastrin – stimulates glands to release HCL
 Secretin – increase release of bile
 Cholecystokenin – stimulates release of
enzyme rich juice in the pancreas