DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

OVERVIEW Vestibule
DEFINITION OF TERMS ● Space between lips externally and
teeth/gums internally
● Digestion: Breakdown of ingested food
● Absorption: Passage of nutrients into the blood Oral Cavity
● Metabolism: Production of cellular energy (ATP) ● The area contained by the teeth

ORGANS Tongue
TWO MAIN GROUPS ● Attached at the hyoid and styloid processes
Gastrointestinal – Accessory Digestive of the skull by the lingual frenulum
continuous coiled hollow Organs
● Occupies most of the oral cavity
tube

Tonsils
● Forms a protective ring of lymphatic tissue
around the openings of the nasal and oral
cavities and pharynx
● Protects against pathogens and other
potentially harmful material entering from
the nose and mouth
○ Palatine tonsils: each side of the posterior
opening of the oral cavity
○ Lingual tonsils: posterior surface of the
tongue

PARTS OF THE GASTROINTESTINAL

PHARYNX
MOUTH
● Connects the mouth with the esophagus
● Two regions: (1) space between the lips/cheek
○ Passageway for air and food
and the teeth and (2) oral cavity proper –
○ Food is propelled to the esophagus by
inside the teeth and houses the tongue
two layers; (1) Longitudinal inner layer
○ Mastication (chewing) of food
and (2) Circular outer layer
○ Mixing masticated food with saliva
○ Food movement is by alternating
○ Initiation of swallowing by tongue
contractions of the muscle layers
○ Allowing for sense of taste
(peristalsis)

ANATOMY OF THE MOUTH

ANATOMY OF THE PHARYNX
Lips (Labia)
Nasopharynx
● Formed mostly by the orbicularis oris
● Not part of the digestive system
● Protects the anterior opening
● Most superior portion

Cheeks
Oropharynx
● Forms the lateral walls
● Posterior to the oral cavity
● Important and is used in the process of
● Carries food to the esophagus
mastication
● Located within is the buccinator muscle –
Laryngopharynx
flattens the cheeks against the teeth
● Below the oropharynx
● Connected and also carries food to the
Hard Palate
esophagus
● Contains bone
● Forms the anterior roof
ESOPHAGUS
Soft Palate ● Runs from pharynx to stomach through the
● Forms the posterior roof diaphragm
● Conducts food by peristalsis – slow rhythmic
Uvula squeezing
● Fleshy projection of the soft palate ● Passageway for food only (respiratory
● Posterior extension of the soft palate system branches off after the pharynx)
LAYERS OF THE GASTROINTESTINAL ORGANS ● Left of the cardiac part
Body
● Largest part of the stomach
● Turns to the right – creating a greater
curvature and a lesser curvature

Pylorus
● Funnel-shaped terminal end
● Opens into the small intestine and
surrounded by the pyloric sphincter – where
MUCOSA food is emptied
● Innermost layer
● Moist membrane Rugae
Three Layers ● Internal folds of the mucosa
a. Inner mucous epithelium - surface ● Allows the mucosa and submucosa to
epithelium stretch
b. Lamina propria - loose connective tissue ● Folds disappear as the stomach is filled
c. Muscularis mucosae - thin smooth muscle
External Regions
● Lesser curvature
SUBMUCOSA
● Greater curvature
● Outside of the mucosa
● Thick layer of loose connective tissue
Layers of Peritoneum (attached to the stomach)
containing nerves, blood vessels, and small
● Contains fat to insulate, cushion, and
glands
protects abdominal organs
Lesser omentum: attaches the liver to the lesser
MUSCULARIS EXTERNA
curvature
● Smooth muscle
Greater omentum: attaches the greater
● Inner circular layer and outer longitudinal
curvature to the posterior body wall
layer

SPECIALIZED MUCOSA OF THE STOMACH

SEROSA
● Outermost layer – Visceral Peritoneum
● Layer of serous fluid - Producing Cells

STOMACH

Mucous neck cells

● Produces a sticky alkaline mucus
Gastric glands
● Secrete gastric juice
Chief Cells
● Produces protein-digesting enzymes
● Located on the left side of the abdominal (pepsinogens)
cavity Parietal Cells
● Food enters at cardioesophageal sphincter ● Produces hydrochloric acid
○ Acts as a storage tank for food Endocrine Cells
○ Site of food breakdown ● Produces gastrin
○ Chemical breakdown of protein begins
○ Delivers chyme (processed food) to the
SMALL INTESTINE
small intestine

REGIONS OF THE STOMACH

Cardiac Region
● Near the heart
● Esophagus opens into the cardiac part
Fundus
● Superior to the cardiac opening
 ● Body’s major digestive organ
● Site of nutrient absorption into the blood
● Muscular tube extending form the pyloric
sphincter to the ileocecal valve
● Suspended from the posterior abdominal
wall by the mesentery
SUBDIVISIONS OF THE SMALL INTESTINE
Duodenum
● Attached to the stomach
● Curves around the head of the pancreas
Jejunum
● Attaches anteriorly to the duodenum
● Makes up two-fifths of the small intestine
Ileum
● Extends from the jejunum to the large
intestine
● Makes up three-fifts of the small intestine
CHEMICAL DIGESTION
● Source of enzymes that are mixed with
chyme (intestinal cells and pancreas)
● Bile enters from the gall bladder
VILLI (SMALL INTESTINE)
● Fingerlike structures formed by the
mucosa
● Give the small intestine more surface area
● Each covered with simple columnar
epithelium
MICROVILLI (SMALL INTESTINE)
● Small projections of the plasma
membrane
● Numerous cytoplasmic extensions of the
villi
● Found on absorptive cells
ABSORPTION OF NUTRIENTS
Absorptive Cells
● Have microvilli
● Produces digestive enzymes
● Absorbs digested food
Blood Capillaries
● Important in transporting absorbed
nutrients
Lacteals
● Specialized lymphatic capillaries
● Blood capillary networks and lymphatic
capillary in each villus
FOLDS OF THE SMALL INTESTINE
● Called circular folds or plicae circulares
● Deep folds of the mucosa and submucosa
● Do not disappear when fillied with food
● The submucosa has Peyer’s Patches –
collections of lymphatic tissue
DIGESTION IN THE SMALL INTESTINE
● Enzymes from the brush border;
○ Break double sugars into simple sugars
○ Complete some protein digestion
● Pancreatic enzymes play the major digestive
function(s);
○ Helps complete the digestion of starch
(Pancreatic Amylase)
○ Carry out about half of all protein
digestion
○ Responsible for fat digestion (Lipase)
○ Digests nucleic acids (Nucleases)
○ Alkaline content neutralizes acidic
chyme
ABSORPTION IN THE SMALL INTESTINE
● Water is absorbed along the length of the
small intestine
● End products of digestion
○ Most substances are absorbed by active
transport through cell membranes
○ Lipids are absorbed by diffusion
● Substances are transported to the liver by
the hepatic portal vein or lymp
PROPULSION IN THE SMALL INTESTINE
● Peristalsis – means of moving food
● Segmental movements
○ Mix chyme with digestive juices
○ Aid in propelling food
LARGE INTESTINE
 ● Large in diameter, shorter than the small ○ Releases gases
intestine ● Water and Vitamins K and B are absorbed
● Frames the internal abdomen ● Remaining materials are eliminated via feces
● Provides adhesion for feval matter
● Protects intestinal wall from bacterial acids PROPULSION IN THE LARGE INTESTINE
and actions
● Sluggish peristalsis
FUNCTIONS ● Mass movements
● Absorption of water ○ Slow, powerful movements
● Eliminates indigestible food from the body as ○ Occur three to four times per day
feces ● Presence of feces in the rectum causes a
● Does not participate in digestion of food defecation reflex
● Goblet cells – produces mucus to act as a ○ Internal anal sphincter is relaxed
lubricant for the passage of feces ○ Defecation occurs with relaxation of the
voluntary (external) anal sphincter
STRUCTURES
PARTS OF THE ACCESSORY ORGANS
Cecum
● Saclike first part of the large intestine SALIVARY GLANDS
● Joins with the small intestine at the ileocecal ● Saliva-producing glands
junction ● Three major pairs
a. Parotid glands - located anterior to the
Appendix ears
● Tube attached and hangs from the cecum b. Submandibular glands
● Contains many lymphatic nodules – c. Sublingual glands
contributes to immune functions
● Appendicitis - accumulation of lymphatic Saliva
tissue (sometimes inflamed), usually occurs ● Mixture of mucus and serous fluids
because of an obstruction ● Helps to form food bolus
● Contains salivary amylase – begins starch
Colon digestion
● Receives almost completely digested food ● Dissolves chemicals so they can be tasted
from the cecum
● Absorbs water and nutrients, and passes TEETH
waste to the rectum ● Masticates (chew) food
● Consists of four parts; ● Humans have two sets of teeth
a. Ascending Colon a. Primary/Deciduous (baby or milk) teeth
b. Transverse Colon - 20 teeth are fully formed by age two
c. Descending Colon - Lost during childhood
d. S-shaped Sigmoidal b. Permanent Teeth
- Replacements for the primary teeth
Rectum between ages 6-12
● Straight, muscular tube that begins at the - Full set: 32 teeth, some people do not
termination of the sigmoid colon and ends at have wisdom teeth
the anal canal - Teeth of adults

Anal Canal TEETH CLASSIFICATIONS

● Last 2-3 cm of the digestive tract a. Incisors
● Begins at the inferior end of the rectum and b. Canines
ends at the anus c. Premolars
d. Molars
Anus
● External body opening REGIONS OF A TOOTH
Crown
FOOD BREAKDOWN & ABSORPTION ● Exposed part
● No digestive enzymes are produced ○ Outer enamel
● Resident bacteria digests remaining ○ Dentin
nutrients ○ Pulp cavity
○ Produces some Vitamin K and B Neck
 ● Region in contact with the gum PROCESSES OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
● Connects crown to root INGESTION ● Getting food into the mouth
Root PROPULSION ● Moving foods from one region of
● Periodontal membrane attached to the bone the system to another
● Root canal carrying blood vessels and nerves PERISTALSIS ● Alternating waves of contraction
SEGMENTATION ● Moving materials back and forth
PANCREAS to aid in mixing
● Produces a wide spectrum of digestive ● Mixing of food in the mouth by
enzymes – breaks down all categories of food MECHANICAL the tongue
● Enzymes are secreted into the duodenum DIGESTION ● Churning of food in the stomach
● Alkaline fluid introduced with enzymes ● Segmentation in the small
neutralizes acidic chyme intestine
● Endocrine products of Pancreas; ● Enzymes break down food
○ Insulin - increases blood sugar level molecules into building blocks
○ Glucagon - decreases blood sugar level ● Each major food groups uses
CHEMICAL different enzymes
LIVER DIGESTION ○ Carbohydrates : simple
● Largest gland in the body sugars
● Located on the right side of the body, under ○ Proteins: amino acids
the diaphragm ○ Fats: fatty acids and
● Consists of four lobes – suspended from the alcohols
diaphragm and abdominal wall by the ABSORPTION ● End products of digestion are
falciform ligament absorbed in the blood or lymph
a. Right lobe ● Food must enter mucosal cells
b. Left lobe and then into blood/lymph
c. Caudate lobe capillaries
d. Quadrate lobe DEFECATION ● Elimination of indigestible
● Connected to the gall bladder via the substances as feces
common hepatic duct
CONTROL OF DIGESTIVE ACTIVITY
● Mostly controlled by reflexes via the
BILE parasympathetic division
● Produced by cells in the liver ● Chemical and mechanical receptos – located in
organ walls; trigger reflexes
BILE COMPOSITION Stimuli include:
● Bile salts ● Stretch of the organ
● Bile pigment – mostly bilirubin due to ● pH of the contents
breakdown of hemoglobin ● Presence of breakdown products
● Cholesterol Reflexes include:
● Phospholipids ● Activation/inhibition of glandular secretions
● Electrolytes ● Smooth muscle activity
BODY ENERGY BALANCE
ROLE OF THE LIVER IN METABOLISM ● Energy intake = total energy output (heat + work +
● Several roles in digestion energy storage)
● Detoxifies drugs and alcohol ○ Liberated during food oxidation
● Degrades hormones ○ Energy output
● Produces cholesterol, blood proteins ○ Heat is usually 60%
(albumin and clotting proteins) ○ Storage energy – form of fat or glycogen
● Plays a central role in metabolism
NUTRITION
Nutrient - substance used by the body; growth,
GALL BLADDER maintenance, and repair
● Sac found in the hollow fossa of the liver Categories of Nutrients
● Stores bile from the liver by way of the cystic ● Carbohydrates: simple sugar, starches, fiber
duct ● Lipids: triglycerides, phospholipids, fatty acids
● Bile is introduced into the duodenum in the ● Protein: amino acids
presence of fatty food ● Vitamins
● Gallstones can cause blockages ● Mineral
● Water