Digestive system

Digestive system

 Collective name for the gastrointestinal tract

(GIT), accessory digestive organs and
digestive processes
 Composition
– Gastrointestinal tract (GIT)
– Accessory organs

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 Gastrointestinal tract
 A continuous hollow muscular tube extending
from mouth to anus
 Various parts are
– Mouth
– Pharynx
– Oesophagus
– Stomach
– Small intestine
– Large intestine
– Rectum
– Anus
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 Accessory digestive organs
 Consists of
– 3 pairs of salivary glands
– Gallbladder
– Liver
– Pancreas
– Teeth
– Tongue
 Responsible for the synthesis and secretion
of enzymes to facilitate chemical digestion

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 Layers of the GIT

 The wall of the GIT is made up of 4 layers

 Mucosa
 Submucosa
 Muscularis externa
 Serosa

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 Layers of the GIT wall

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 Diagram of the GIT wall

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 Mucosa

 The innermost layer

 Composed of
– a layer of epithelium in direct contact with the
contents of the GI tract
– a layer of connective tissue called the lamina
propria
– a thin layer of smooth muscle (muscularis
mucosae)

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 Mucosa

 Depending on its functions, the epithelium

may be simple or stratified
– mouth, pharynx, oesophagus, and anal canal is
mainly stratified squamous epithelium with to
withstand the wear and tear of passing food
– Simple columnar or glandular epithelium lines the
stomach and intestines to aid secretion and
absorption

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  Lamina propria
– Areolar connective tissue containing many blood
and lymphatic vessels,
– This layer supports the epithelium and binds it to
the muscularis mucosae
– The lamina propria also contains the majority of
the cells of the mucosa-associated lymphatic
tissue (MALT).

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  Muscularis mucosae
– A thin layer of smooth muscle fibres
– throws the mucous membrane of the stomach
and small intestine into many small folds,
– Movements of the muscularis mucosae ensure
that all absorptive cells are fully exposed to the
contents of the GI tract.

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 Submucosa

 Consists of areolar connective tissue that

binds the mucosa to the muscularis.
 Contains many blood and lymphatic vessels
that receive absorbed food molecules.
 Has an extensive network of neurons known
as submucosal plexus or Meissner plexus
 The submucosa may also contain glands and
lymphatic tissue
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 Muscularis externa

 The muscularis of the mouth, pharynx, and

superior and middle parts of the oesophagus
contains skeletal muscle that produces
voluntary swallowing.
 Skeletal muscle also forms the external anal
sphincter, which permits voluntary control of
defecation.

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  Throughout the rest of the tract, the
muscularis consists of two layers of smooth
muscle:
– an inner sheet of circular fibres
– outer sheet of longitudinal fibres.

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  Involuntary contractions of the smooth
muscle help break down food, mix it with
digestive secretions, and propel it along the
tract.
 Between the layers of the muscularis is a
second plexus of neurons—the myenteric
plexus or Auerbach plexus

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 Serosa/mesentery

 The outer layer made up of serous

membrane
 Serous membrane composed of areolar
connective tissue and simple squamous
epithelium (mesothelium).
 Covers portions of the GIT that are
suspended in the abdominopelvic cavity

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  The oesophagus lacks a serosa
– Adventitia (a single layer of areolar connective
tissue) is the superficial layer of oesophagus

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 Nervous Regulation of the
Digestive System

 The gastrointestinal tract is regulated by an

intrinsic set of nerves known as the enteric
nervous system and by an extrinsic set of
nerves that are part of the autonomic
nervous system.

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 Mouth

 Also known as the oral or buccal cavity

 Formed by the cheeks, hard and soft palates
and tongue
 Bounded by muscles and bones
 The oral cavity is lined with stratified
squamous epithelium

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 Mouth

 Anteriorly – lips (orbicularis oris muscle)

 Posteriorly – continuous with oropharynx
 Laterally – muscles of the cheeks (buccinator
muscle)
 Superiorly – hard and soft palates (roof of
mouth)
 Inferiorly – tongue and soft tissues of the
floor of the mouth
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  Hanging from the free border of the soft
palate is a conical muscular process called
the uvula.
 During swallowing, the soft palate and uvula
are drawn superiorly, closing off the
nasopharynx and preventing swallowed
foods and liquids from entering the nasal
cavity

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  Lateral to the base of the uvula are two
muscular folds that run down the lateral sides
of the soft palate:
– anteriorly, the palatoglossal arch extends to the
side of the base of the tongue
– posteriorly, the palatopharyngeal arch extends to
the side of the pharynx.

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  The palatine tonsils are situated between the
arches, and the lingual tonsils are situated at
the base of the tongue.
 At the posterior border of the soft palate, the
mouth opens into the oropharynx through the
fauces

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  Parts of the mouth
 Oral vestibule
– the space between the gum and the cheeks)
 Oral cavity proper
– The space that extends from the gums and teeth
to the fauces (opening between the oral cavity
and the oropharynx)

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 Tongue

 Occupies the floor of the mouth and fills most

of the oral cavity when the mouth is closed.
 Houses the taste buds and contains mucous
and serous glands
 Composed of interlacing network of intrinsic
and extrinsic skeletal muscle fibres and
covered with mucous membrane

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  Intrinsic muscles
– confined within the tongue and are not attached to
bone.
– allow the tongue to change its shape
 Extrinsic muscles
– extend to the tongue from their points of origin on
bones of the skull or the soft palate.
– alter the tongue’s position

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 Tongue

 Divided into symmetrical lateral halves by a

median septum
 Each half of the tongue consists of an
identical complement of extrinsic and
intrinsic muscles.
 Lingual frenulum (fold of mucosa) secures
the tongue to the floor of the mouth and
limits the posterior movement of the tongue.
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  The dorsum (upper surface) and lateral
surfaces of the tongue are covered with
papillae (projections of the lamina propria
covered with stratified squamous epithelium)
 Many papillae contain taste buds

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 Functions of the tongue

 Tongue grips the food and constantly

repositions it between the teeth
 Mix food with saliva
 Initiate swallowing by pushing the bolus
posteriorly into the pharynx.
 Helps to form consonants

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