Digestive System Notesheet

Function of the digestive system:

1. Intake and ______________________ of food.
2. Absorption of _______________________ from digested food.
3. ______________________________ of solid waste material.

Accessory Organs of Digestion – include the liver, gallbladder and ____________________.

Upper Gastrointestinal (gastr/o = ____________ + intestin/o = ____________ + -al ____________)

tract is made up of the mouth, _______________, and stomach.

Lower Gastrointestinal tract – made up of small intestine, ________ ______________, rectum, & anus

Oral Cavity (mouth)

1. Lips – form ____________________ into the oral cavity (mouth)
2. Hard palate – ______________________ portion of the palate (roof of the mouth)
3. Soft palate – posterior portion of _____________________, closes off ____________ passage
during swallowing
4. Uvula – helps in producing ________________________ and speech

Tongue
1. Strong and ____________
2. Aids in speech and moves food during ______________________ and swallowing.
3. Contains papillae which are also known as _____________ __________.

Teeth – four kinds of teeth are known as:

1. __________________________ 3. ___________________________
2. __________________________ 4. ___________________________
There are ________ baby teeth and _________ permanent teeth.

Parts of a tooth
1. Crown – the part of the ______________ that is visible, covered with __________________
2. Root – holds the tooth _________________ in the dental arch
3. Dentin – makes up the ________________________ of the tooth

Gingiva (gums) – surrounds the ____________, covers the _____________ of the dental arches, forms
the ____________ of cheeks

Salivary Glands – secretes _______________ to moisten food, begins _________________ process,

and cleanses the ________________

Pharynx (also known as the _________________________)

1. common passageway for ____________________ and ________________________
2. during swallowing, food is prevented from moving from the pharynx into the lungs by the
______________.

Esophagus
1. collapsible tube that leads from the ____________________ to the _______________________
2. the _____________ _____________________ _____________________ a muscle that
controls the flow between the esophagus and the stomach.

Stomach
1. has 3 sections: ________________, body, and the ____________________
 2. the pyloric ________________ controls flow from stomach into the _____________ of the small
intestine.
Small Intestine – extends from ___________ ________________ to the large intestine; in the small
intestine is where nutrients are absorbed into the _____________________; ________ feet in length;
Has three sections:
1. Duodenum – first section, closest to the _________________ (where food just left)
2. _____________________________________ – middle section, between duodenum and ileum
3. Ileum – last section, closest to __________________ intestine (where food is going next)

Large Intestine – waste products of _____________ are processed in the large intestine and excreted
through the anus; has 6 sections:
1. Cecum – pouch that extends from the __________ to the beginning of the ______________.
2. _______________________ colon – travels upward from cecum
3. Transverse colon – passes from ____________ to __________ toward the spleen
4. Descending ________________ – travels down left side of _________________
_____________.
5. Sigmoid colon – joins _________________________ colon with the rectum
6. Rectum – _____________ division of the large intestine

Anus – Lower portion of digestive tract. Solid ___________ is passed out of the body through the anus

Accessory Organs of Digestion

1. Liver – located in the ___________ upper quadrant.
a. removes excess _________________ from the bloodstream,
b. destroys old _____________________,
c. removes _________________ from blood,
d. makes some blood __________________,
e. secretes __________ to break down ____________.

2. Gallbladder (cholecyst = ___________________) - stores and concentrates ______________

for later use

3. Pancreas – located _______________ to the stomach, creates _____________________ juices

to neutralize stomach acids and digestive enzymes to process protein,
_____________________, and fat.

Flow of food through the digestive system:

Oral cavity -> ___________________ -> esophagus -> ____________________ -> duodenum ->
______________________ -> ileum -> ____________________ -> ascending colon ->
__________________ __________ -> descending colon -> __________________ __________ ->
rectum -> _______________

Digestion – process by which __________________ foods are broken down into nutrients that the body
can use

Metabolism – all of the ________________ involved in the body’s use of these ___________________
(building up & breaking down of body cells)

Absorption – process where digested __________________ are taken into the circulatory system

Mastication – also known as _____________________, breaks down food into smaller pieces

Peristalsis – series of wavelike ___________________ of smooth muscles in a single direction.

Chyme – semi-fluid _____________ of partially digested food that passes from _____________ into
small intestine
Defecation – ___________________ or emptying of the large intestine