DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

Basic Anatomy and Physiology

With: Ps Mbozi Geoffrey
geoonhealth@gmail.com
 Gastrointestinal Tract
• Extends from the
mouth to the
anus
• Location where
digestion takes
place
• About 9m long in
an adult
Walls of the GI Tract
• Lumen: hollow space inside
the GI tract
 Walls of the GI Tract
• Made up of four layers
1. Mucosa or mucous membrane
2. Submucosa
3. Muscularis
4. Serosa
 Mouth (Oral Cavity)
• Lined by mucus membrane
• Composed of roof, floor, and walls
- Roof composed of hard and soft pallets
- Floor- Tongue
 Teeth
• Incisors, Canines, • 20 baby teeth, 32
Premolars, Molars permanent teeth
 AMYLASE

Found chiefly in saliva and

pancreatic fluid, that converts
starch and glycogen into simple
sugars.
 Salivary Glands

• Three pairs: Parotids,

submandibulars, and
sublinguals
• Secrete about 1L of
saliva per day
• Saliva contains salivary
amylase (enzyme)
which begins the
digestion of
carbohydrates
 GI tract continues
• Pharynx
Esophagus
• About 25cm long
• Between pharynx and stomach
• Peristalses: wave of muscular
contraction
 Stomach
• Lies just below the
diaphragm in the
abdominal cavity
• Cardiac sphincter
• Pyloric sphincter
• Food is mixed and
broken down into
what is called
chyme.
 Stomach

• Composed of three
muscle layers
• Walls contain gastric
glands and folds
called rugae
• Divided into three
regions: Fundus,
body, and pylorus
 Small Intestine
• About 7M long
• Composed of three sections:
Duodenum, jejunum, ileum
 Small Intestine
• Walls also contain
glands that secrete
digestive juices
• Walls also
composed of folds
called plicae which
are also covered
with finger like
extensions called
villi
 Liver and Gallbladder
• Liver considered the largest gland in
the body
• Secretes a substance called bile into
duodenum via hepatic ducts and
common bile duct
• Gallbladder also contributes and
stores bile
 Pancreas
• Lies behind the stomach
• Secretes the most important digestive
juice (Insulin)
• Contains enzymes that digest all three
major kinds of foods (Cab/Pro/Fat)
• Also helps neutralize hydrochloric acid
from stomach
Pancreas
 Large Intestine

• About 1.5M
• Receives
undigested and
unabsorbed food
from the small
intestine via the
ileocecal valve
 Digestion
• Consists of chemical and mechanical
breakdown of food
• Three basic kinds of digestion:
Carbohydrate, Protein, and Fat
 Mouth

Pharynx

Esophegus

Stomach

Small Intestines

Large Intestines

Rectum and Anus

Unpleasant emotions disturb
the free flow of digestive
juices.
Therefore, only take to the
table that which is food!
NO TV, Phones, Book, etc…