Sdsd| GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY

CHAPTER 8: ANIMAL DIGESTIVE PHYSIOLOGY

SUSPENSION VS DEPOSIT FEEDERS

DIGESTION
- process of breaking down food into
smaller particles so that these can
pass through cells
- Mechanical or chemical
Two main types of digestion
1. INTRACELLULAR
● Food particles are engulfed
by cell through INVERTEBRATE DIGESTION
phagocytosis and a vacuole
is formed where food is
digested
➢ Amoeba
➢ Paramecium
2. EXTRACELLULAR
● Food is digested outside
cell
➢ Bacteria
➢ Fungi
➢ Most animals
TYPES OF FEEDING MECHANISM Figure 1. (a) A gastrovascular cavity has a
single opening through which food is ingested
and waste is excreted, as shown in this hydra
and in this jellyfish medusa. (b) An alimentary
canal has two openings: a mouth for ingesting
food, and an anus for eliminating waste, as
shown in this nematode.

DIGESTION IN SPONGES
 Sdsd| GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY
CHAPTER 8: ANIMAL DIGESTIVE PHYSIOLOGY
DIGESTION IN CNIDARIANS

DIGESTION IN CRABS
Adult decapod crustaceans digestive tract
DIGESTION IN CNIDARIANS - Divided into three main parts:
Carukia barnesia ● Fore
- When in polyp phase, gathers ● Mid
nutrition via filter feeding ● Hindgut
- When in medusa phase, able to Foregut
hunt for its prey using multiple pairs - Composed of small esophagus and
of eyes that can detect light a large part of stomach
Young Irukandji jellyfish ● Where masticating parts
- Hunt for small invertebrates such as are present
zooplankton and small crustaceans Hepatopancreatic mass o the midgut
- Consists primarily of hundreds of
DIGESTION IN FLATWORMS tubes
Digestion:
- Mouth
- pharynx
- Digestive tract (no anus)
Incomplete:
- Digestive tract
- Feed on algae, dead organisms,
blood
FLATWORMS
- have incomplete digestive system
● Digestive tract has just one
single opening
● Digestion takes place in
their gastrovascular cavity
 Sdsd| GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY
CHAPTER 8: ANIMAL DIGESTIVE PHYSIOLOGY

FISH DIGESTION

DIGESTION IN RUMINANTS
RUMINANT ARTIODACTYLA
● cattle
● Deer + relatives
- Unable to digest plant material
directly
● Lack enzymes to break
down cellulose in the cell
walls
Digestion in ruminants
- Occurs sequentially in
four-chambered stomach
Plant material is initially taken into
1. RUMEN
● It is processed mechanically
and exposed to bacteria
AVIAN DIGESTION than can break down
cellulose (foregut
fermentation)
2. RETICULUM
● Allows the animal to
regurgitate & reprocess
particulate matter ("chew
its cud")
● More finely-divided food is
then passed to the
3. OMASUM
● Further mechanical
processing
● Mass is finally passed to the
true stomach
4. ABOMASSUM
● lysozyme (digestive
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM OF A FROG enzyme) breaks down the
bacteria so as to release
nutrients
Use of plant material is this indirect, with
primary processing by the bacterial flora
maintained in the stomach
 Sdsd| GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY
CHAPTER 8: ANIMAL DIGESTIVE PHYSIOLOGY

ORGANS OF DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

● Mouth
● Pharynx (throat)
HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM FUNCTIONS ● Esophagus (food tube)
INGESTION ● Stomach
- taking in of food ● Small intestine
PERISTALSIS ● Large intestine
- moving down of food ● Rectum
DIGESTION
- breaking down of food
ABSORPTION
- assimilation of food nutrients by
wall of small intestine
EGESTION
- elimination from the body of
undigested food

ORGANS OF DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

MOUTH
- beginning of digestive system
● Lips
● Teeth
● Gums
● Tongue
● Palate (soft and hard)
● Tonsils
- Opening of salivary glands
TEETH
- 32 in adults
TONGUE
- Functions:
● Helps in mastication
 Sdsd| GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY
CHAPTER 8: ANIMAL DIGESTIVE PHYSIOLOGY
● Mixing all saliva with food - Mucosa
● Swallowing ● Deeply folded to increase
● Sensation of taste the surface area
● Speech ● Helps in absorption of food
SALIVARY GLANDS LARGE INTESTINE
- 3 pairs - 1.5 meter long
- Parotid in front of ear - 5-6 cm diameter
- Submandibular below lower jaw - Divided into 3 parts
- Sublingual below tongue ● Right ascending colon
SALIVA ● Transverse colon
- secretion of salivary glands ● Left descending colon
- Secreted with ingestion, memory, ● Function:
smell of food ➢ Absorption of
- ptyalin water + vitamins
● Converts starch into sugar RECTUM
PHARYNX - Temporary storage of faeces
- Digestive and respiratory - Anus
- When swallowing food, a person is ● Guarded by external &
advised not to talk, as part of internal sphincters
etiquette GALLBLADDER
ESOPHAGUS - sotres the liver bile (60ml)
- swallowing of food PANCREAS
- PERISTALSIS - Located in upper abdomen behind
● Rhythmic contraction of the the stomach
gut muscles - Right part in the C of duodenum
STOMACH - Extends to the left up to the spleen
- highly muscular stomach secretes - Manufactures digestive enzymes
gastric juices which contain: - Manufactures insulin
1. Hydrochloric acid (pH 2.0)
2. Pepsin
● Proteolytic
enzymes
- MUCUS
● secreted by the stomach
walls for protection from
low pH
- High acidity likewise helps protect
the body by killing bacteria & other
microorganisms in the food
SMALL INTESTINE
- 6 to 7 meter long
- 2.5 cm diameter
- Lies in center of abdomen
- Divided into 3 parts
● Duodenum (first)
● Jejunum (second)
● Ileum (last)
- Alkaline secretion
● Protects from acid contents
of stomach
 Sdsd| GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY
CHAPTER 8: ANIMAL DIGESTIVE PHYSIOLOGY

HOW STRESS AFFECTS DIGESTION

chronic stress has been shown to lead to
● Increased inflammation in body
NERVOUS AND HORMONAL CONTROL OF ● Decreased gastric fluids
DIGESTION ● Decreased bowel motility
SYMPATHETIC AND PARASYMPATHETIC Martin 2018
PATHWAYS - Study explains that our stress
- Facilitate or hinder digestion response affects our bowel
There are many feedback loops between movements, which can alter our
the brain stomach, intestine and other microbiome and gut permeability
organs which control the rate of digestion Stress may lead to irritable bowel
● For example, the rate of stomach syndrome (IBS) and obesity
emptying is controlled by the
amount of fatty, hypertonic, acidic
chyme in the duodenum (the first
section of the small intestine).
Endocrine cells and chemoreceptors feed
back to the stomach via multiple
mechanisms that it must lower its
contractile force and rate of emptying

LEPTIN VS GHRELIN
LEPTIN
- anorexigenic
- Appetite suppressant
- Satiety hormone
GHRELIN
- Orexigenic
- Appetite stimulant
- Hunger hormone
- When high, feel hunger
● After eating, ghrelin level
falls and we feel satisfied