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The Digestive System

Organs of the digestive system:
 The digestive system is formed of two groups of organs:
1) Organs that form the gastrointestinal (GI) tract or alimentary canal
2) Accessory digestive organs:
 Organs that form the gastrointestinal (GI) are exposed to the exterior
 Accessory digestive organs aren’t exposed to the exterior, they secrete and
synthesize certain product such as enzymes and hormones, and they will drain their
secretions to the alimentary canal
 Some Accessory digestive organs have different function such as glands

Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) or alimentary canal organs:

1- Mouth
2- Pharynx 3- Esophagus 4- Stomach
4- Small intestine: Consist of 3 portions, duodenum +
jejunum + ileum
5- Large intestine
6- Anal Canal

Accessory digestive organs:

1) Teeth
2) Tongue
3) salivary glands
4) Liver: Largest Gland in our body
5) Gallbladder
6) Pancreas: just below the Liver
7) The length of the GIT is about 9 meters (5-7 living)
General Functions of the Digestive System
1) Ingestion: uptake liquid and food through the Oral Cavity
2) Mechanical digestion : Cutting the food by the teeth into smaller pieces
 We have Mechanical Digestion in the Stomach ( Peristaltic Contraction )
3) Chemical digestion : With the aid of digestive enzymes and other materials like Acid in
the Stomach

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 Chemical digestion begin in the Oral Cavity by 2 Enzymes
A) Lingual Lipase  Chemical digestion of Triglyceride
B) Salivary Amylase  Chemical Digestion for Carbohydrates
 Chemical digestion will Continue in the stomach, as we know we have pepsinogen is
converted into pepsin to digest protein, also it continues its function in the small intestine

4) secretion: 7 L, we have a lot of gland either as separated Organ Such as The pancreas,
salivary glands that will drain their secretion to the alimentary Canal

o Other secretion is from: Exocrine Glands or Endocrine Glands

o We can found exocrine gland in the wall of the alimentary Canal
o We have also hormonal secretion can be produced from this Accessory Glands such as
pancreas, and I have hormonal secretion could be secreted from disseminated Cells
o disseminated Cells are cells that dispersed between the wall of digestive tract and Can work
by secreting Hormones or Neurotransmitters

5) Propulsion: Mixing of food in the stomach, occurs because of movement of stomach and
the movement of small and large intestine
6) Absorption : entrance of molecules from the GIT lumen to the epithelial cells lining the
GIT wall, then to the circulation , Mainly in the small intestine
7) Defecation : how to get rid of feces and non-digested foot articles , bacteria as well
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Layers of the GI tract: general histology
 Wall of GI tract from lower esophagus to anal canal has same basic 4 layers
1) Mucosa – innermost layer, which Consist of 3 layers
a) Epithelium : inner most layer
 Protection (because we ingest rough food particle and we need the epithelium to protect the
GIT from trauma + Protection from Microorganisms), the type of epithelium in Mucosa
(Oral Cavity) is Non-keratinized Stratified squamous epithelium.
 Pharynx is Stratified Squamous epithelium – also for protection.
 Esophagus act as a passage for food, Also Stratified squamous epithelium for protection
(you have to know that there isn’t an digestion in the esophagus)
 secretion or absorption (like in the stomach and intestine)
 The type of tissue in the stomach and intestine is Simple columner epithelium
 In intestine, The function is Absorption, So I need a large surface area , so the apical border
of the lumen will contain microvilli (microvilli are folding in the membrane , so it increase
the surface area , Thus increase the absorption)

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 When I reach lower half of anal canal, the epithelium will return as the oral Cavity –
Stratified squamous epithelium for protection – for protection
 The epithelium is changing along the alimentary Canal according to the function (as we
know from physiology – the structure is changed due to the function)

b) Lamina propriety: loose areolar connective tissue with blood and lymphatic vessels and
mucosa-associated lymphatic tissue (MALT) , Also we have glands
 We can find MALT also in Urinary Gland + Respiratory Tract
 The function of Mucosa as we know is protection
 MALT function is (Not only the presence of macrophage), it takes antigen of foreign body
and present it into lymphatic organ, so it can defence against it

c) Muscularis Mucosa: it comes in Two Layers that will move the inner surface, and they will
increase the surface area, and folding of mucosa (as in colon) – TEMPORARY
FOLDINGS -, and they separate between mucosa and submucosa

2) SubMucosa
a. Connective tissue binding mucosa to muscularis
b. Contains many blood and lymphatic vessels
c. Contains glands and lymphatic tissue
d. Contains Submucosal nerve plexus (plexus of Meissner)
 Submucosal nerve plexus has a vasomotor action, this will control the vasodilation +
constriction of blood vessels, and it will control the secretion of the gland (important)

3) Muscularis (EXTERNA):
Two layers ( Involuntary )
1) Circular : inner
2) Longitudinal : Outer  Enforcement
 In the Stomach we have a third innermost layer  Oblique
 Voluntary skeletal muscle found in mouth, pharynx (Upper 1/3), upper 2/3 of esophagus,
and external anal sphincter (inner is involuntary)
 Myenteric nerve plexus (plexus of Auerbach) between muscle layers
 Function of muscularis is to move all of the Canal
 Involuntary muscles Considered as Smooth muscles
 Voluntary Muscles are Skeletal Muscles

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 4) Serosa:
 Outermost covering of organs suspended in abdominopelvic cavity
 Also called visceral peritoneum
 Esophagus and rectum lack serosa and the wall of diaphragm – have adventitia
 Consists of loose areolar connective tissue and simple squamous epithelium (Mesothelium)
 It connects organ with each other

Neural innervation:
 Enteric nervous system (ENS)
 Intrinsic set of nerves - “brain of gut”
 Neurons extending from esophagus to anus
 2 plexuses
1) Myenteric plexus –responsible for GI tract motility
2) Submucosal plexus – controlling secretions
 Autonomic nervous system
 Extrinsic set of nerves
 Parasympathetic stimulation increases secretion and activity by stimulating ENS
 Sympathetic stimulation decreases secretions and activity by inhibiting ENS

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 Body membranes:

 Body Membrane is composed of serous membrane,

Thin layer of epithelium cover the organ
 So, Body membranes are tissue linings of body
cavities and coverings of internal organs
 parietal membrane –lining of body cavity
 visceral membrane –covering of internal organ
 Between them we have an serous Cavity
 All together are function in protection, to make movement easier and with minimal
friction

The peritoneum:
 The largest serous membrane of the body found in
abdominopelvic region
 It consists of
1) A layer of simple squamous epithelium
(mesothelium)
2) A layer of connective tissue: underlying and
supporting for epithelium.
 The peritoneum is divided into:
1) parietal peritoneum: lines the wall of the
abdominopelvic cavity
2) visceral peritoneum (serosa): covers some of the
organs in the cavity

Now let’s Talk about Peritoneum.

 The peritoneum lines The anterior abdominal wall and the pelvic organ in posterior
abdominal wall
 Let’s walk with the peritoneum ..,
 First the Visceral layer will enclose the liver (small part of liver won’t be enclosed by
visceral layer)
 then it continues to enclose the Stomach (it connects stomach with posterior abdominal
wall)
 then I will go down to wrap the Transverse Colon ( it Binds the transverse Colon to the
posterior abdominal wall ) , also small intestine are bound to the posterior abdominal wall ,
the visceral layer enclose anterior aspect of Duodenum

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 The Kidney aren’t Covered by peritoneum,
it’s posterior to the peritoneum, sigmoid Colon
is Covered by peritoneum, Rectum is enclosed in
posterior wall + fundus + Anterior wall, Upper
surface of bladder is covered by peritoneum,
 then it will continue with the parietal.

peritoneal cavity
 The space between the parietal and visceral
layers of peritoneum
 Contains lubricating serous fluid.
 It is slim
 Ascites: distended peritoneal cavity due to
accumulation of fluid (in certain diseases)

 The Abdominopelvic Organ are Considered to be:

1) Intra peritoneal: it’s Enclosed fully by peritoneal Cavity
2) Infra Peritoneal: it’s upper surface only Covered by peritoneum
3) Retro Peritoneal

Retroperitoneal:
 Organs lie against the posterior abdominal wall and do not project into the peritoneal
cavity.
A. Organs that are covered by peritoneum on their anterior surfaces only (examples: ascending
and descending colon, duodenum, and pancreas)
B. Organs that are separat from the peritoneum by fat and have no peritoneum on them at all
are called retroperitoneal including the kidneys and adrenal glands.

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 The pericardium and pleurae smooth (NO FAT)
 cover the heart and lungs
 The peritoneum is large fat-filled folds
 Additional information: Fats = Triglyceride

 The folds bind the organs to one another

 and to the walls of the abdominal cavity
 They contain blood & lymphatic vessels, and nerves that
supply the abdominal organs.
There are five major peritoneal folds: (each one has a function
to bind with organ and with the walls of the abdominal cavity)
1. Greater omentum
2. Lesser omentum
3. Mesentery
4. Mesocolon
5. Falciform ligament

Greater Omentum
 (fat skin)
 It is a large peritoneal fold
 drapes over the transverse colon and coils of the small intestine
 Looks like a “fatty apron”
 It is a double sheet
 It folds back upon itself = four layers.
 It attaches along the greater curvature of the stomach
and initial part of the duodenum
 It extends downward anterior to the small intestine
 It turns and extends upward and attaches to the
transverse colon.
 It contains a considerable amount of adipose tissue
(normal).
 Content of adipose tissue varies according to weight.
 Contains lymph nodes defense

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Falciform Ligament
 (Sickle-shaped)
 Attaches the liver to the anterior abdominal wall and diaphragm
 It is remnant of the ventral mesentery of the embryo
 It was the path of the umbilical vein from the umbilical cord to the inferior vena cava in
the fetus.
 The liver is the only digestive organ that is attached to the anterior abdominal wall.

Lesser Omentum
 Anterior fold of the serosa of the stomach and
duodenum.
 It suspends the stomach and duodenum from the
liver
 It is the pathway of blood vessels entering the
liver
 It contains the hepatic portal vein, the common
hepatic artery, and the common bile duct, along
with some lymph nodes.

Mesentery
 Mes:middle
 fan-shaped
 binds the jejunum and ileum to the posterior
abdominal wall
 It is the largest peritoneal fold
 Laden with fat (a large abdomen in obese)
 It extends from the posterior abdominal wall to
wrap around almost the entire length of the small
intestine

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  Then returns to its origin, forming a double-layered structure.
 Contains blood vessels (branches and tributaries of the superior mesenteric artery and
vein), lymphatic vessels, and lymph nodes
 Intestine and mesentery are folded like a fan to fit within the abdominal cavity.

Mesocolon
 Two separate folds of peritoneum
 Bind the transverse colon (transverse mesocolon) and
sigmoid colon (sigmoid mesocolon) to the posterior
abdominal wall
 They carry blood vessels and lymphatic vessels to the
intestines.
The mesentery and mesocolon hold the intestines loosely in
place, allowing for a great amount of movement as muscular
contractions mix and move the intestinal contents along the
GI tract.

Peritonitis
 An acute inflammation of the peritoneum
 A common cause of it is contamination of the peritoneum by infectious microbes
 Peritonitis can result from:
 Accidental or surgical wounds in the abdominal wall
 Perforation or rupture of abdominal organs.
 For example, if bacteria gain access to the peritoneal cavity through an intestinal
perforation or rupture of the appendix, they can produce an acute, life-threatening
peritonitis.

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