HUMAN ANATOMY: DIGESTIVE SYSTEM PRACTICE QUESTIONS

@ciatokinesis // De La Salle University

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What are the functions of the digestive system?

Answer: The digestive system functions include breaking down food, releasing nutrients, and
absorbing nutrients.

How long is the alimentary canal?

Answer: The alimentary canal is about 25 feet in length.

What is the main function of the alimentary canal?

Answer: The main function of the alimentary canal is to nourish the body by digesting food and
absorbing released nutrients.

Where does the alimentary canal begin and end?

Answer: The alimentary canal begins at the mouth and ends at the anus.

How is the alimentary canal modified to fit the functional needs of the body?
Answer: The alimentary canal is modified as the pharynx, esophagus, stomach, and small and
large intestines to fit the functional needs of the body.

Through what process do nutrients in food enter and nourish the body's "inner space"?
Answer: Nutrients in food enter and nourish the body's "inner space" through the process of
absorption.

How do accessory structures relate to the developing gut?

Answer: Accessory structures sprout from the lining cells of the developing gut (mucosa) and
augment its function.

When does chemical digestion begin in the digestive process?

Answer: Chemical digestion begins with the salivary glands in the mouth.

What substances are released by the small intestine, gallbladder, liver, and pancreas
essential for digestion to continue?
Answer: The small intestine, gallbladder, liver, and pancreas release secretions essential for
digestion to continue.

What does the gallbladder release, and where is it synthesized?

Answer: The gallbladder releases bile, which helps absorb fats and is synthesized by the liver.

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How do accessory structures maintain a connection to the gut even after development?
Answer: Even after development, accessory structures maintain a connection to the gut by way
of ducts.

What tissue layers compose the alimentary canal?

Answer: The alimentary canal is composed of four tissue layers: mucosa, submucosa,
muscularis, and serosa.

What does the mucosa (mucous membrane) consist of?

Answer: The mucosa consists of epithelium, lamina propria, and muscularis mucosa.

What type of epithelium is primarily found in the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, and anal
canal?
Answer: In the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, and anal canal, the epithelium is primarily
non-keratinized, stratified squamous epithelium.

What is the function of goblet cells?

Answer: Goblet cells are interspersed among epithelial cells and secrete mucus and fluid into
the lumen.

What is lamina propria?

Answer: A layer of connective tissue analogous to the dermis.

Is muscularis mucosa a true muscularis layer? (True or False)

Answer: False. It is not.

What is muscularis mucosa?

Answer: A thin, smooth muscle layer.

What type of epithelium is primarily found in the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, and anal
canal?
Answer: Non-keratinized, stratified squamous epithelium.

What type of epithelium is found in the stomach and intestines?

Answer: Simple columnar epithelium.

What is the function of goblet cells?

Answer: Goblet cells are interspersed among epithelial cells and secrete mucus and fluid into
the lumen.

What do enteroendocrine cells secrete?

Answer: Enteroendocrine cells secrete hormones into the interstitial spaces between cells.

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What is in direct contact with the lumen?
Answer: The epithelium is in direct contact with the lumen.

Is the statement "The epithelium is rapidly renewed to help preserve the alimentary canal
despite the wear and tear" true or false?
Answer: True.

What is the function of lamina propria?

Answer: Lamina propria contains numerous blood and lymphatic vessels that transport nutrients
absorbed through the alimentary canal to other parts of the body.

What immune function does lamina propria serve?

Answer: Lamina propria serves an immune function by housing clusters of lymphocytes, making
up the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT), e.g., Peyer's patches.

Where are Peyer's patches seen?

Answer: Peyer's patches are seen in the distal ileum.

What is the function of Peyer's patches?

Answer: Peyer's patches serve as a defense against foodborne bacteria and other foreign
matter.

In what state of tension is the muscularis mucosa?

Answer: Muscularis mucosa is in a constant state of tension.

What is the role of muscularis mucosa?

Answer: Muscularis mucosa is a thin layer of smooth muscle that increases the surface area
available for digestion and absorption.

What does the submucosa serve as?

Answer: Submucosa serves as a conduit for a dense branching network of nerves, the
submucosal plexus.

Where does the submucosa lie?

Answer: Submucosa lies immediately beneath the mucosa.

What does the submucosa consist of?

Answer: Submucosa is a broad layer of dense connective tissue and includes blood and
lymphatic vessels, and a scattering of submucosal glands that release digestive secretions.

In the small intestine, what is the muscularis externa made up of?

Answer: The muscularis externa in the small intestine is made up of a double layer of smooth
muscle: an inner circular layer and an outer longitudinal layer.

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What do the contractions of the small intestine layers promote?
Answer: The contractions of the small intestine layers promote mechanical digestion and move
the food along the canal.

Where can muscularis externa be found?

Answer: Muscularis externa can be found in the mouth, pharynx, anterior part of the esophagus,
and external anal sphincter.

What type of muscle makes up the muscularis externa?

Answer: The muscularis externa is made up of skeletal muscle, which allows voluntary control
over swallowing and defecation.

What is the third layer in the stomach equipped for?

Answer: The third layer in the stomach is equipped for its churning function.

What is the stomach's third layer?

Answer: The stomach's third layer is an oblique muscle.

How many layers does the colon have, and what are they?
Answer: The colon has two layers – an inner circular layer and an outer longitudinal layer.

What are the narrow parallel bands in the colon's longitudinal layer called?
Answer: The colon's longitudinal layer is segregated into three narrow parallel bands called
tenia coli.

What does the serosa serve to do?

Answer: The serosa serves to hold the alimentary canal in place near the ventral surface of the
vertebral column.

Where is the serosa positioned?

Answer: The serosa is positioned superficial to the muscularis.

What does the serosa consist of?

Answer: The serosa consists of a layer of visceral peritoneum overlying a layer of loose
connective tissue.

What is present in the mouth, pharynx, and esophagus instead of serosa?

Answer: Instead of serosa, the mouth, pharynx, and esophagus have adventitia.

What is the enteric nervous system?

Answer: The enteric nervous system is the intrinsic innervations of the alimentary canal.

Where does the enteric nervous system run from and to?
Answer: The enteric nervous system runs from the esophagus to the anus.

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How many plexuses are enteric neurons grouped into?
Answer: Enteric neurons are grouped into two plexuses.

What is another name for the myenteric plexus?

Answer: The myenteric plexus is also called the Plexus of Auerbach.

Where does the myenteric plexus lie?

Answer: The myenteric plexus lies in the muscularis layer of the alimentary canal.

What is the responsibility of the myenteric plexus?

Answer: The myenteric plexus is responsible for motility, especially the rhythm and force of the
contractions of the muscularis.

What is Hirschsprung disease?

Answer: Hirschsprung disease is a birth defect in which some nerve cells are missing in the
large intestine, leading to a blockage.

What is another name for the submucosal plexus?

Answer: The submucosal plexus is also called the plexus of Meissner.

Where does the submucosal plexus lie?

Answer: The submucosal plexus lies in the submucosal layer of the alimentary canal.

What is the responsibility of the submucosal plexus?

Answer: The submucosal plexus is responsible for regulating digestive secretions and reacting
to the presence of food.

What is the autonomic nervous system?

Answer: The autonomic nervous system is the extrinsic innervations of the alimentary canal.

What does the autonomic nervous system include?

Answer: The autonomic nervous system includes both sympathetic and parasympathetic
nerves.

What does sympathetic activation do?

Answer: Sympathetic activation restricts the activity of enteric neurons.

What does parasympathetic activation do?

Answer: Parasympathetic activation increases GI secretion and motility by stimulating neurons
of the enteric nervous system.

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What is the first function of blood supply?
Answer: The first function of blood supply is to transport the protein and carbohydrate nutrients
absorbed by mucosal cells after food is digested in the lumen.

How are lipids absorbed?

Answer: Lipids are absorbed via lacteals, tiny structures of the lymphatic system.

What is the second function of blood supply?

Answer: The second function of blood supply is to supply the organs of the alimentary canal
with the nutrients and oxygen needed to drive their cellular processes.

What arteries supply blood for the anterior part of the alimentary tract?
Answer: Blood for the anterior part of the alimentary tract is supplied by the aortic arch and
thoracic aorta.

What artery supplies blood for the superior part of the alimentary tract?
Answer: Blood for the superior part of the alimentary tract is supplied by the abdominal aorta.

What does the celiac trunk supply blood for?

Answer: The celiac trunk supplies blood for the liver, stomach, and duodenum.

What arteries supply blood for the remaining small and large intestines?
Answer: The superior and inferior mesenteric arteries supply blood for the remaining small and
large intestines.

What is the hepatic portal system?

Answer: The hepatic portal system drains the veins that collect nutrient-rich blood from the small
intestine and carries it to the liver for processing.

What forms the portal vein?

Answer: The portal vein is formed by the union of the splenic vein and the superior mesenteric
vein.

What does the peritoneum do?

Answer: The peritoneum holds the digestive organs within the abdominal cavity in place.

What is the peritoneum made up of?

Answer: The peritoneum is a broad serous membranous sac made up of squamous epithelial
tissue surrounded by connective tissue.

How many regions does the peritoneum have?

Answer: The peritoneum has two regions.

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What does the parietal peritoneum line?
Answer: The parietal peritoneum lines the abdominal wall.

What does the visceral peritoneum envelop?

Answer: The visceral peritoneum envelops the abdominal organs.

What is the peritoneal cavity?

Answer: The peritoneal cavity is the space bounded by the visceral and parietal peritoneal
surfaces.

What is the mesentery?

Answer: The mesentery attaches the small intestine to the body wall.

What is the mesocolon?

Answer: The mesocolon is the portion of the mesentery serving the colon.

What structures frame the oral cavity?

Answer: The oral cavity is framed by the cheeks, tongue, and palate.

What are lips or labia?

Answer: Lips or labia are the entrance to the mouth, with the outer skin covering transitioning to
a mucous membrane in the mouth proper.

What muscle covers the lips?

Answer: The lips cover the orbicularis oris muscle.

What is the labial frenulum?

Answer: The labial frenulum is a midline fold of mucous membrane that attaches the inner
surface of each lip to the gum.

What is covered by the cheeks' inner lining?

Answer: The inner covering of the cheeks is made up of non-keratinized, stratified squamous
epithelium.

What is the oral vestibule?

Answer: The oral vestibule is the space between the gums and teeth, and the cheeks and lips.

What is the fauces?

Answer: The fauces is the opening between the oral cavity and the throat (oropharynx).

What is the palate?

Answer: The palate is the arched roof of the mouth that separates the cavity for digestion and
respiration.

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What is the hard palate?
Answer: The hard palate is the anterior bony portion created by the maxillary and palatine
bones of the skull.

What is the soft palate?

Answer: The soft palate is the posterior portion composed mainly of skeletal muscle.

What type of muscle is the soft palate composed of?

Answer: The soft palate is composed of skeletal muscle.

What is the uvula?

Answer: The uvula is fleshy tissue that drops down from the center of the posterior edge of the
soft palate.

What does the uvula do during swallowing?

Answer: The uvula moves upward during swallowing to help keep foods and liquid from entering
the nasal cavity.

What are the palatoglossal arch and palatopharyngeal arch?

Answer: Palatoglossal arch and palatopharyngeal arch are two muscular folds that extend
downward from the soft palate, on either side of the uvula.

Where are palatine tonsils located?

Answer: Palatine tonsils are located between the palatoglossal arch and palatopharyngeal arch.

Where are lingual tonsils located?

Answer: Lingual tonsils are located at the base of the tongue.

What is the tongue's function?

Answer: The tongue facilitates ingestion, mechanical digestion, chemical digestion (lingual
lipase), sensation (of taste, texture, and temperature of food), swallowing, and vocalization.

To what structures is the tongue attached?

Answer: The tongue is attached to the mandible, the styloic processes of the temporal bones,
and the hyoid bone.

What extends the entire length of the tongue, dividing it into symmetrical halves?
Answer: The medial septum extends the entire length of the tongue, dividing it into symmetrical
halves.

What do intrinsic muscles of the tongue allow?

Answer: Change of the size and shape of the tongue, as well as sticking it out

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What muscles are included in the intrinsic muscles of the tongue?
Answer: Longitudinalis inferior, longitudinalis superior, transversus linguae, and verticalis
linguae muscles

What is the function of extrinsic muscles of the tongue?

Answer: Originate outside the tongue and insert into connective tissues within the tongue

Name some extrinsic muscles of the tongue.

Answer: Mylohyoid, hyoglossus, styloglossus, and genioglossus (thickest) muscles

What are papillae, and what are they covered in?

Answer: Extensions of lamina propria of the mucosa, covered in stratified squamous

Describe fungiform papillae.

Answer: Mushroom-shaped, covering a large area of the tongue, larger toward the rear and
smaller on the tip and sides

How many circumvallate papillae are there, and where are they located?
Answer: Only 8 to 12 in number, lying in a row along the posterior portion of the tongue anterior
to the lingual tonsil

How are foliate papillae clustered?

Answer: Into two groups positioned on each side of the tongue

What is the characteristic of filiform papillae?

Answer: Long and thin papillae creating an abrasive surface

Which papillae have touch receptors that help move food around in the mouth?
Answer: Filiform papillae

What do lingual glands secrete?

Answer: Mucus and a watery serous fluid

Name the enzymes secreted by lingual glands and their functions.

Answer: Lingual lipase degrades fats, while lingual amylase degrades carbohydrates

What is the lingual frenulum?

Answer: A fold of mucous membrane on the underside of the tongue, holding the tongue to the
floor of the mouth

What is ankyloglossia?
Answer: A congenital anomaly also known as "tongue tie"

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Where are salivary glands housed, and what do they constantly secrete?
Answer: Housed within the mucous membranes of the mouth and tongue; constantly secreting
saliva, either directly into the oral cavity or indirectly through ducts

On average, how many liters of saliva are secreted each day?

Answer: 1 to 1.5 liters

Besides major salivary glands, where are small amounts of saliva also secreted?
Answer: By labial glands in the lips, buccal glands in the cheeks, palatal glands in the palate,
and lingual glands in the tongue

How many pairs of major salivary glands secrete the majority of saliva into ducts that
open into the mouth?
Answer: Three pairs

Where are submandibular glands located, and how do they secrete saliva?
Answer: They are located in the floor of the mouth and they secrete saliva through the
submandibular ducts.

Where are sublingual glands located, and how do they secrete saliva?
Answer: They are located below the tongue and they secrete saliva using the lesser sublingual
ducts

What are parotid glands, and where are they located?

Answer: Parotid glands are the biggest salivary glands located between the skin and the
masseter muscle near the ears

Through what structure do parotid glands secrete saliva into the mouth?
Answer: Parotid glands secrete saliva into the mouth through the Parotid duct which is located
near the second upper molar tooth

What are teeth, and what is their function?

Answer: Teeth are organs similar to bones used to tear, grind, and mechanically break down
food

How many deciduous teeth or baby teeth are there?

Answer: 20

When do deciduous teeth or baby teeth first begin to appear?

Answer: At about six months of age

How many permanent teeth are there?

Answer: 32

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When do permanent teeth first begin to appear, and what do they replace?
Answer: At about age 6; They replace deciduous teeth by age 12

How many incisors are there?

Answer: 8

How many cuspids or canines are there?

Answer: 4

What is the function of canines or cuspids?

Answer: They flank the incisors and have a pointed cusp for piercing tough or fleshy foods

How many premolars or bicuspids are there?

Answer: 8

Where are premolars located in relation to the cuspids?

Answer: Posterior to the cuspids

What is the overall shape of premolars, and what is their function?

Answer: They have an overall flatter shape with two rounded cusps useful for mashing foods

How many molars are there?

Answer: 12

What are the most posterior and largest teeth called?

Answer: Molars

What is the function of molars?

Answer: They have several pointed cusps used to crush food, preparing it for swallowing

Is the eruption of wisdom teeth delayed until early adulthood?

Answer: True

What is involved in both digestion and respiration?

Answer: Pharynx

What happens to the airways when food enters the pharynx?

Answer: They close off due to involuntary muscle contractions

Describe the pharynx.

Answer: A short tube of skeletal muscle lined with a mucous membrane, running from the
posterior oral and nasal cavities to the opening of the esophagus and larynx

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What is the nasopharynx involved in?
Answer: Breathing and speech

What are the oropharynx and the laryngopharynx used for?

Answer: Both breathing and digestion

What type of epithelium does the oropharynx mucosa include?

Answer: Stratified squamous

What is the esophagus?

Answer: A muscular tube that connects the pharynx to the stomach

How long is the esophagus?

Answer: 10 inches

Where is the esophagus located in relation to the trachea?

Answer: Posterior

Through what structure does the esophagus penetrate the diaphragm to enter the
abdomen?
Answer: Esophageal hiatus

What controls the movement of food from the pharynx into the esophagus, and with what
is it continuous?
Answer: Upper esophageal sphincter; continuous with the inferior pharyngeal constrictor

What does the upper two-thirds of the esophagus consist of?

Answer: Both smooth and skeletal muscle fibers, with skeletal muscle fibers in the bottom third

What initiates rhythmic waves of peristalsis, and where do they propel the bolus of food?
Answer: Peristalsis begins in the upper esophagus and propels the bolus of food toward the
stomach

What is the lower esophageal sphincter also called?

Answer: The gastroesophageal or cardiac sphincter

What does the lower esophageal sphincter control?

Answer: Passage of food from the esophagus into the stomach

What can be a problem from the lower esophageal sphincter?

Answer: Heartburn and acid reflux

In the upper third portion, what type of muscle is the muscularis layer?
Answer: Skeletal

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In the middle third portion, what types of muscle are present in the muscularis layer?
Answer: Skeletal; Smooth

In the lower third portion, what type of muscle is the muscularis layer?
Answer: Smooth

What is the adventitia?

Answer: Most superficial layer of the esophagus

What is the cardia or cardiac region?

Answer: Where the esophagus connects to the stomach and through which food passes into the
stomach

What is the fundus?

Answer: The dome-shaped region located inferior to the diaphragm

What is the body?

Answer: Main part of the stomach

What is the pylorus?

Answer: Funnel-shaped region that connects the stomach to the duodenum (embudo)

What is the pyloric antrum?

Answer: The wider end of the funnel that connects to the body of the stomach

What is the pyloric canal?

Answer: The narrower end which connects to the duodenum

What does the pyloric sphincter do?

Answer: Contracts and controls the passage of chyme from the stomach to the duodenum

What type of muscle controls stomach emptying?

Answer: Pyloric sphincter

What are rugae?

Answer: Large folds of the mucosa and submucosa

What is the greater curvature?

Answer: The convex lateral surface of the stomach

What is the lesser curvature?

Answer: The concave medial border

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What is the lesser omentum?
Answer: The stomach is held in place; extends from the liver to the lesser curvature

What is the greater omentum?

Answer: Runs from the greater curvature to the posterior abdominal wall

Is it true that the stomach is made of the same four layers but with adaptations to the
mucosa and muscularis?
Answer: True

What type of muscle layer is present in the inner part of the muscularis of the stomach?
Answer: Oblique smooth

In addition to circular and longitudinal smooth muscle layers, what allows the stomach to
vigorously churn food?
Answer: Circular; Longitudinal

What type of lining does the stomach mucosa have?

Answer: Epithelial

What does the stomach secrete to protect itself?

Answer: A protective coat of alkaline mucus

What are gastric pits?

Answer: They dot the surface of the epithelium, marking the entry to each gastric gland

What do gastric glands secrete?

Answer: A complex digestive fluid referred to as gastric juice

What is gastric juice?

Answer: A complex digestive fluid secreted by gastric glands

What do parietal cells produce, and where are they located?

Answer: Hydrochloric acid (HCL) and intrinsic factor; located mostly in the middle region of the
gastric glands

What is responsible for the high acidity (pH 1.5 to 3.5) of the stomach contents?
Answer: HCL

What is an intrinsic factor, and what is its function?

Answer: A glycoprotein necessary for the absorption of vitamin B12 in the small intestine

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Where are chief cells located, and what do they secrete?
Answer: Mostly in the basal regions of gastric glands; secrete pepsinogen, the inactive
proenzyme form of pepsin

What is necessary for the conversion of pepsinogen to pepsin?

Answer: HCL

What do mucous neck cells do, and where are they located?
Answer: Secrete alkaline mucus; located in the upper part of the stomach

What do enteroendocrine cells secrete?

Answer: Various hormones into the interstitial fluid of the lamina propria; these include gastrin,
released by G cells

What does the mucosal barrier of the stomach protect from?

Answer: Self-digestion

What covers the stomach wall, providing a thick coating?

Answer: Bicarbonate-rich mucus

Where do the epithelial cells of the stomach's mucosa meet?

Answer: At tight junctions

How often is the surface epithelium of the stomach completely replaced?

Answer: Every 3 to 6 days

What quickly replaces damaged epithelial mucosal cells in the gastric pits?
Answer: Stem cells

What is the liver?

Answer: The largest gland in the body

Where does the liver lie in relation to the diaphragm, and in which quadrant of the
abdominal cavity is it located?
Answer: The liver lies inferior to the diagram and it is situated in the right upper quadrant of the
abdominal cavity

How many primary lobes is the liver divided into?

Answer: Two

What are the names of the lobes of the liver?

Answer: Large right lobe and smaller left lobe

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What is found in the right lobe of the liver?
Answer: Inferior quadrate lobe and posterior caudate lobe

Is the right lobe of the liver larger than the left lobe?
Answer: Yes

How is the liver connected to the abdominal wall and diaphragm?

Answer: The liver is connected to the abdominal wall and diaphragm by peritoneal folds,
specifically ligaments.

What are the folds that connect the liver to the abdominal wall and diaphragm?
Answer: The falciform ligament, the coronary ligament, two lateral ligaments, and the
ligamentum teres hepatis are the folds that connect the liver to the abdominal wall and
diaphragm.

What is the significance of the falciform ligament and ligamentum teres hepatis?
Answer: The falciform ligament and ligamentum teres hepatis are remnants of the umbilical
vein.

What structures separate the right and left lobes of the liver anteriorly?
Answer: The falciform ligament and ligamentum teres hepatis separate the right and left lobes of
the liver anteriorly.

How does the lesser omentum hold the liver to the stomach?
Answer: The lesser omentum holds the liver to the lesser curvature of the stomach.

What is the porta hepatis?

Answer: The porta hepatis is where the hepatic artery and hepatic portal vein enter the liver.

What type of blood does the hepatic artery deliver from the heart to the liver?
Answer: The hepatic artery delivers oxygenated blood from the heart to the liver.

What type of blood does the hepatic portal vein deliver to the liver?
Answer: The hepatic portal vein delivers partially deoxygenated blood containing nutrients,
drugs, and toxins absorbed from the small intestine.

In the liver, after processing the blood, where does it drain into, and then to, ultimately
reaching the vena cava?
Answer: In the liver, after processing, the blood drains into the central vein and then to the
hepatic vein, ultimately reaching the inferior vena cava.

What is a hepatocyte?
Answer: A hepatocyte is the liver's main cell type.

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Is it true that hepatocytes account for around 80% of the liver's volume?
Answer: Yes, hepatocytes account for around 80% of the liver's volume.

What are hepatic laminae?

Answer: Hepatic laminae are plates of hepatocytes that radiate outward from the portal vein in
each hepatic lobule.

What are bile canaliculi?

Answer: Bile canaliculi are small ducts that accumulate the bile produced by hepatocytes.

Is it true that bile flows first into bile ductules and then into bile ducts?
Answer: Yes, it is true that bile flows first into bile ductules and then into bile ducts.

Where are bile canaliculi located?

Answer: Bile canaliculi are located in grooves between adjacent hepatocytes.

What is a hepatic sinusoid?

Answer: A hepatic sinusoid is an open, porous blood space formed by sinusoidal capillaries
from the nutrient-rich hepatic portal vein and oxygen-rich hepatic arteries.

What is packed around the sinusoidal endothelium for easy access to the blood?
Answer: Hepatocytes are packed around the sinusoidal endothelium for easy access to the
blood.

Where does the hepatic sinusoid send blood to?

Answer: The hepatic sinusoid sends blood to the central vein.

What are Reticuloendothelial cells (Kupffer cells)?

Answer: Reticuloendothelial cells, or Kupffer cells, are star-shaped phagocytes in the hepatic
sinusoids.

What is the role of Kupffer cells?

Answer: Kupffer cells remove dead red and white blood cells, bacteria, and other foreign
material that enters the sinusoids.

What is a portal triad?

Answer: A portal triad is an arrangement around the perimeter of hepatic lobules, consisting of a
bile duct, hepatic artery, and a hepatic portal vein.

What does a portal triad consist of?

Answer: A portal triad consists of a hepatic portal vein, hepatic artery, and bile duct.

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What happens when bile ducts unite?
Answer: Bile ducts unite to form the larger right and left hepatic ducts, which in turn merge and
exit the liver as the common hepatic duct.

What does the common hepatic duct join with from the gallbladder, forming the common
bile duct through which bile flows into the small intestine?
Answer: The common hepatic duct joins with the cystic duct from the gallbladder, forming the
common bile duct through which bile flows into the small intestine.

What is the gallbladder's function?

Answer: The gallbladder stores, concentrates, and releases bile into the duodenum via the
common bile duct.

Approximately how long is the gallbladder?

Answer: The gallbladder is about 3-4 inches long.

Where is the gallbladder located?

Answer: The gallbladder is nestled in a shallow area on the posterior aspect of the right lobe of
the liver.

What are the widest and narrowest portions of the gallbladder?

Answer: The fundus is the widest portion of the gallbladder, and it tapers medially into the body.

What connects the fundus to the cystic duct and angles slightly superiorly as it
approaches the hepatic duct?
Answer: The neck connects the fundus to the cystic duct and angles slightly superiorly as it
approaches the hepatic duct.

What duct bridges the neck and hepatic duct?

Answer: The cystic duct bridges the neck and hepatic duct.

What is the gallbladder wall's mucosa lined with, organized in rugae?

Answer: The gallbladder wall's mucosa is lined with simple columnar epithelium, organized in
rugae.

What is the gallbladder's muscular coat made of?

Answer: The gallbladder's muscular coat is made of smooth muscle fibers.

What is bile?
Answer: Bile is a mixture secreted by the liver to accomplish the emulsification of lipids in the
small intestine.

Is it true that hepatocytes secrete about one liter of bile each day?
Answer: Yes, it is true that hepatocytes secrete about one liter of bile each day.

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What constitutes bile?
Answer: Bile is a yellow-brown or yellow-green alkaline solution, consisting of water, bile salts,
bile pigments, phospholipids (such as lecithin), electrolytes, cholesterol, and triglycerides.

What is insulin?
Answer: Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that decreases blood sugar.

What is glucagon?
Answer: Glucagon is a hormone secreted by the pancreas that increases blood sugar levels.

What does the pancreas secrete when blood sugar falls during fasting?
Answer: When blood sugar falls during fasting, the pancreas secretes glucagon.

What hormone is secreted after eating to balance blood sugar?

Answer: After eating, insulin is secreted to balance blood sugar.

What does hepatopancreatic refer to?

Answer: Hepatopancreatic refers to the liver and pancreas.

What is the major pancreatic duct called?

Answer: The major pancreatic duct is called the Duct of Wirsung.

What is the minor pancreatic duct called?

Answer: The minor pancreatic duct is called the Duct of Santorini.

What is the accessory duct?

Answer: The accessory duct is the duct of Santorini.

Where does the duct of Santorini run?

Answer: The duct of Santorini is a smaller pancreatic duct that runs from the pancreas directly
into the duodenum.

What is responsible for the slight alkalinity of pancreatic juice?

Answer: Sodium bicarbonate is responsible for the slight alkalinity of pancreatic juice.

What is inflammation of the pancreas called?

Answer: Inflammation of the pancreas is called pancreatitis.

Where does most digestion and almost all absorption occur?

Answer: Most digestion and almost all absorption occur in the small intestine.

What is the length of the small intestine?

Answer: The small intestine is the longest part of the alimentary canal, about 10 feet long.

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How is the small intestine subdivided?
Answer: The small intestine is subdivided into three regions: the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.

What is the duodenum's path?

Answer: The duodenum begins at the pyloric sphincter, bends posteriorly behind the
peritoneum, becomes retroperitoneal, makes a C-shaped curve around the head of the
pancreas, ascends anteriorly again to return to the peritoneal cavity, and joins the jejunum.

What marks the transition from the anterior portion of the alimentary canal to the
mid-region, where the bile duct and the main pancreatic duct join?
Answer: The ampulla of Vater marks the transition from the anterior portion of the alimentary
canal to the mid-region, where the bile duct and the main pancreatic duct join.

What regulates the flow of both bile and pancreatic juice from the ampulla into the
duodenum?
Answer: The sphincter of Oddi regulates the flow of both bile and pancreatic juice from the
ampulla into the duodenum.

How long is the jejunum?

Answer: The jejunum is about 3 feet long and runs from the duodenum to the ileum.

What is the ileum's length and its characteristics compared to the jejunum?
Answer: The ileum is the longest part of the small intestine, approximately 6 feet in length. It is
thicker, more vascular, and has more developed mucosal folds than the jejunum. The ileum
joins the cecum at the ileocecal sphincter.

What holds the jejunum and ileum to the posterior abdominal wall?
Answer: The mesentery holds the jejunum and ileum to the posterior abdominal wall.

What structures are responsible for support and anchoring to the small intestine, helping
move its contents along, between the duodenum and jejunum?
Answer: The Ligament of Treitz between the duodenum and jejunum serves as support and
anchor to the small intestine, helping move its contents along.

What nutrients are absorbed in the duodenum?

Answer: Iron, calcium, fats, sugars, water, proteins, vitamins, magnesium, and sodium are
absorbed in the duodenum.

What nutrients are absorbed in the jejunum?

Answer: Carbohydrates, fats, minerals, proteins, and vitamins are absorbed in the jejunum.

What nutrients are absorbed in the ileum?

Answer: Bile salts, vitamin B12, water, and electrolytes are absorbed in the ileum.

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What parts of the gastrointestinal tract are associated with lower gastrointestinal
bleeding?
Answer: The jejunum, ileum, colon, rectum, and anus are associated with lower gastrointestinal
bleeding.

What parts of the gastrointestinal tract are associated with upper gastrointestinal
bleeding?
Answer: The esophagus, stomach, or duodenum are associated with upper gastrointestinal
bleeding, which presents as super dark feces.

What is the small intestine's main arterial supply, and where does it drain?
Answer: The superior mesenteric artery is the small intestine's main arterial supply, draining into
the superior mesenteric vein.

What are Plicae circulares?

Answer: Plicae circulares are circular folds in the mucosal lining of the small intestine.

What are villi?

Answer: Villi are small hair-like vascularized projections within the circular folds of the small
intestine.

What are microvilli?

Answer: Microvilli are apical surface extensions of the plasma membrane of the mucosa's
epithelial cells. Their combined microscopic appearance looks like a brush border.

What is another name for an intestinal gland?

Answer: An intestinal gland is also called the crypt of Lieberkühn.

What do intestinal glands produce?

Answer: Intestinal glands produce intestinal juice, and they are cells that line the crevices on the
mucosa between the villi.

What are duodenal glands also known as?

Answer: Duodenal glands are also known as Brunner's glands.

Where are duodenal glands located?

Answer: Duodenal glands are mucus-secreting glands located only on the submucosa of the
duodenum. They produce a bicarbonate-rich alkaline mucus that buffers the acidic chyme as it
enters from the stomach.

What is the primary function of the large intestine?

Answer: The primary function of the large intestine is to finish the absorption of nutrients and
water, synthesize certain vitamins, as well as to form, store, and eliminate feces from the body.

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What is the path of the large intestine, running from and to?
Answer: The large intestine runs from the appendix to the anus.

What are the subdivisions of the large intestine?

Answer: The large intestine is subdivided into the cecum, colon, rectum, and anus.

What controls the flow of chyme from the small intestine to the large intestine?
Answer: The ileocecal valve controls the flow of chyme from the small intestine to the large
intestine.

What are teniae coli?

Answer: Teniae coli are three bands of smooth muscle that make up the longitudinal muscle
layer of the muscularis, except at its terminal end.

What do tonic contractions of the tenia coli do?

Answer: Tonic contractions of the teniae coli bunch

What term is used for tonic contractions that bunch up the colon into a succession of
pouches?
Answer: Haustra are used to describe tonic contractions that bunch up the colon into a
succession of pouches.

What is responsible for the wrinkled appearance of the colon?

Answer: Haustra are responsible for the wrinkled appearance of the colon.

What are small, fat-filled sacs of visceral peritoneum attached to the teniae coli?
Answer: Epiploic appendages are small, fat-filled sacs of visceral peritoneum attached to the
teniae coli.

What is the first part of the large intestine, functioning as a sac-like structure suspended
inferior to the ileocecal valve?
Answer: The cecum is the first part of the large intestine, functioning as a sac-like structure
suspended inferior to the ileocecal valve.

What structure receives the contents of the ileum?

Answer: The cecum receives the contents of the ileum.

What is the winding tube that attaches to the cecum, containing lymphoid tissue, but
generally considered vestigial?
Answer: The appendix is a winding tube that attaches to the cecum; it contains lymphoid tissue
but is generally considered vestigial.

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What is the mesentery of the appendix holding the ileum?
Answer: The mesoappendix is the mesentery of the appendix holding the ileum.

What is the part of the large intestine that travels up on the right side of the abdomen?
Answer: The ascending colon is the part of the large intestine that travels up on the right side of
the abdomen.

What is formed by the bending of the colon at the inferior surface of the liver?
Answer: The right colic flexure (hepatic flexure) is formed by the bending of the colon at the
inferior surface of the liver.

What portion of the colon extends across from the ascending cecum, with the last third
marking the beginning of the hindgut?
Answer: The transverse colon is the portion of the colon that extends across from the ascending
cecum; the last third marks the beginning of the hindgut.

Where does the colon angle sharply immediately inferior to the spleen?
Answer: The left colic flexure (splenic flexure) is where the colon angles sharply immediately
inferior to the spleen.

What runs down the left side of the posterior abdominal wall?
Answer: The descending colon runs down the left side of the posterior abdominal wall.

What is an S-shaped structure formed after entering the pelvis inferiorly?

Answer: The sigmoid colon is an S-shaped structure formed after entering the pelvis inferiorly.

In what anatomical space are the ascending and descending colon, and the rectum
located?
Answer: The ascending and descending colon, and the rectum are located in the
retroperitoneum.

What holds the transverse and sigmoid colon to the posterior abdominal wall?
Answer: The mesocolon holds the transverse and sigmoid colon to the posterior abdominal wall.

Where does food residue leaving the sigmoid colon enter?

Answer: Food residue leaving the sigmoid colon enters the rectum.

What is the final 8 inches of the alimentary canal?

Answer: The rectum is the final 8 inches of the alimentary canal.

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What trio of internal transverse folds does the rectum have, created by three lateral
bends?
Answer: The rectum has three lateral bends that create a trio of internal transverse folds called
rectal valves.

What do rectal valves do to prevent the simultaneous passage of feces and gas?
Answer: Rectal valves help separate the feces from gas to prevent the simultaneous passage of
feces and gas.

What is the last part of the large intestine?

Answer: The anal canal is the last part of the large intestine.

Where is the anal canal located in the perineum, outside of the abdominopelvic cavity?
Answer: The anal canal is located in the perineum, outside of the abdominopelvic cavity.

How many sphincters does the anal canal include?

Answer: The anal canal includes two sphincters.

What is the internal anal sphincter made of, and are its contractions voluntary or
involuntary?
Answer: The internal anal sphincter is made of smooth muscle, and its contractions are
involuntary.

What is the external anal sphincter made of, and is it under voluntary or involuntary
control?
Answer: The external anal sphincter is made of skeletal muscle, which is under voluntary
control.

What do the rectum and anal canal lack?

Answer: The rectum and anal canal lack teniae coli or haustra.

Is it true that the rectum and anal canal have a well-developed muscularis for strong
contractions needed for defecation?
Answer: True, the rectum and anal canal have a well-developed muscularis for strong
contractions needed for defecation.

What type of epithelial mucosa connects the rectum to the skin on the outside of the
anus?
Answer: Stratified squamous epithelial mucosa connects the rectum to the skin on the outside of
the anus.

What are networks of veins, with one within the anal columns and one at the anus?
Answer: Venous plexuses are networks of veins, with one within the anal columns and one at
the anus.

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What secretes mucus to facilitate defecation and are depressions between the anal
columns?
Answer: Anal sinus secretes mucus that facilitates defecation; they are depressions between
the anal columns.

What is the horizontal, jagged band that runs around below the level of the anal sinuses,
marking the junction between the hindgut and external skin?
Answer: The pectinate line (or dentate line) is a horizontal, jagged band that runs around below
the level of the anal sinuses; it marks the junction between the hindgut and external skin.

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