GASTRO-INTESTINAL TRACT (GIT)

The digestive system is a collection of organs that can be divided into two parts:

1. The alimentary or 2. The accessory organs

gastrointestinal tract.
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 The first group of organs constitute the Alimentary
or Gastrointestinal tract. The organs of the
Gastrointestinal tract are:

1. Oral cavity (mouth) Mout

Phary
nx
h
2. Pharynx Esophag
us
3. Esophagus

4. Stomach
Stoma
5. Small intestine ch

6. Large intestine Large

Intesti
ne Small
7. Rectum Intesti
ne
Rectu
m An
8. Anus us
The alimentary tract is a continuous, hollow
tube about
It is 30 ft. long that runs from the oral
cavity to the anus.
It secret acid or digestive enzymes.
Layers of the digestive tract

BASIC PATTERN:
i) Mucosa
- Epithelium
- Lamina propria
- Muscularis Mucosae
ii) Submucosa
iii) Muscularis Externa
iv) Serous layer/Adventitial
layer
Functions of the alimentary tract-
overall, would be to:

The function of the digestive system is

digestion, absorption, excretion .
Digestion:- breakdown of food into small
molecules.
Absorption:- These molecule are then
absorbed into the body.
Excretion:- Discard the unusable
components (waste) from the body.
 The oral cavity (mouth)
The oral cavity (mouth)
includes the lips, cheeks,
palate (roof of the mouth),
floor of the mouth and
tongue.
This is the first part of the
alimentary canal.
The oral cavity extends
from the lips to the
oropharynx.
Accessory organs of oral cavity
- Tongue
- Teeth
- Salivary glands
Function of oral cavity :-
Where secretion of oral cavity
breaks food in to mechanical
and chemical digestive
processes begin.
Where food cuts, grind,
lubricate, taste, manipulate, and
move food.
 PHARYNX
It is funnel shape, fibro-muscular tube.
It is common tube for the respiratory and
digestive systems.
Length - 5 inches.
The functions of the pharynx:-
1. Receive partially digested food from the oral

cavity
2. Pass the partially digested food in to the

esophagus.
The pharynx is divided
into three parts:

Nasopharynx
Oropharynx
Laryngopharynx

#1
#
2
#3
 Esophagus
It is a narrow muscular tube .
It passes food between pharynx and
stomach.
Lumen is collapsible muscular tube.
It only dilates during the passage of food.
 Esophagus
Lies behind (posterior to) the trachea.
1 inch in diameter and 10 inches long.
Oesophagus pierces diaphragm at the level
of T10 vertebra.
The esophagus contain smooth muscle
arranged in two layers.
One circular and one longitudinal.
 Parts of esophagus
Divided into three parts:
1. Cervical.
2. Thoracic.
3. Abdominal.
The functions of the esophagus :
Receive partially digested food from the
pharynx.
Pass the partially digested food on to the
stomach.
 STOMACH
The stomach lies at the upper part of the
abdominal cavity just under the thoracic
diaphragm.
Stomach is “J” shaped.

***Note – the stomach has three layers of smooth muscle.

 STOMACH
Stomach is wide and
most distended part of M
Pha
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alimentary canal. th Esop
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The stomach extends
between esophagus Sto

and duodenum. mac

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 The parts of stomach
Stomach has
four parts
Cardiac part.
Fundus.
Body.
Pyloric part.
 Fundus or fundic region
1.

–
This is the uppermost portion
of the stomach.
It is dome shaped.
Extends above the level of
the cardiac sphincter.
Normally it is filled with air.
 2. Cardia or cardiac region –

This is a small region esophagus

very near the cardiac
sphincter where the
esophagus meets the
stomach.
 1. Body –
The middle portion of
the stomach.
Located between the
fundus and pyloric
region.
This is the largest region.
Empty stomach shows
mucous folding called
as RUGAE.
 4- Pyloric part
This is the terminal portion
of the stomach.
It joins with duodenum at
pyloric orifice.
Pyloric has three parts
1. Pyloric antrum.
2. Pyloric canal.
3. Pylorus.
Pyloric sphincter- (true
anatomical sphincter). This acts as
a valve preventing back flow of
food from the small intestine to
the stomach.
 Small intestine
Extends from the pylorus to the ileocecal
junction.
It is 6 meter long.
It is divided in to three parts :-Duodenum,
Jejunum, Ileum.
Duodenum is fixed part.
Jejunum and ileum freely mobile parts.
Jejunum and ileum concerned with digestion,
and absorption of food.
Duodenum
It is first part of small
intestine.
It is C-shaped.
It is fixed part of small
intestine.
It is almost entirely
retroperitoneal.
It is 10 inches long.
It connects to the stomach
via the pyloric sphincter.
Lies above the level of
umbilicus, opposite to
L1,L2,L3.
 Duodenum
Four Parts of duodenum
1st Superior part.
2nd Descending part.
3rd Horizontal part.
4th Ascending part.
Second part (Descending part) of the
duodenum has opening for
Common bile duct.
Major duodenal papillae.
Minor duodenal papillae.
Pancreatic duct.
 Jejunum
It is thick and more vascular.
It is second part of small intestine.
Most of the jejum lies in left upper quadrant.
It is connecting duodenum to ileum.
It is about 15feet long.
Jejunum begins at duodenojejunal flexure.
It is intraperitonial.
It is responsible for absorption of all nutrients
except water.
 Ileum
It is distal 2/3rd part of small intestine.
Most of the ileum lies in right lower quadrant.
It is thin walled and less vascular.
Interior having Payer’s patches.
Plicae circulars are less in ileum.
Coils of jejunum and ileum are suspended in
mesentery from posterior abdominal wall and
freely mobile.
Villi – these are circular folds of mucosa of
small intestine.
Their function- to increase the surface area and
absorption.
Absorption takes place throughout the length of
the small intestine.
PEYER’S PATCHES (AGGREGATED
LYMPHATIC FOLLICLES)
Lymphatic collections present in the small
intestine.
In the mucous membrane
More prominent in the ileum and distal part
of the jejunum.
 Large Intestine
This is called “large” due to an increase in
diameter compared to the “small” intestine.
Its total length is about 5 feet.
The large intestine subdivided into:
1.Caecum
2.Vermiform appendix
3.Colon
4. Rectum
5. Anal canal
Functions of large intestine
Absorption of water.
Storage, lubrication, expulsion of feces.
Synthesis of vitamin-B
Protection by microorganisms.
 Special features of large intestine
1.Taenia coli –
Thickening of the longitudinal muscle coat.
2.Appendices epiploice-
small Fat-filled pouches of visceral peritoneum
3.Sacculation or haustrations-
Series of dilatation present in the wall of the large
intestine.
Gross Anatomy of Large Intestine
 Caecum
Large blind sac.
Situated in right iliac fossa.
It communicates:-
Superiorly with ascending colon.
Medially ileocecal junction with ileum.
Posteromedial with appendix.
Ileo-caecal orifice- It is the junction of the
ileum and large intestine(caecum).
The orifice is guarded valve called as Ileo-caecal
valve.
 Vermiform appendix
It is worm like.
Posteriomedially to
cecum.
Length is 2-20 cm.
Parts:-
Base
Body
Tip
 Vermiform appendix
Positions of appendix
Paracolic
Retrocolic
Splenic
Promonteric
Pelvic
Mid inguinal
 Colon
Colon is divided into 4 parts:
Ascending colon
Transverse colon
Descending colon
Sigmoid colon
 Arterial supply to colon
Ileocolic artery.
Right colic artery.
Middle colic artery.
Left colic artery.
Sigmoidal artery.
Superior rectal artery.
 Rectum
It is the distal portion of large intestine.
Between sigmoid colon and anal canal.
It is not having taenia coli, scacculations, and
appendices epiplocae.
It storage of feces before defecation.
It is situated (location)
Posterior part of lesser pelvis.
Front of sacrum and coccyx.
Behind urinary bladder in males.
Behind uterus in female.
 Anal canal

It is the terminal part of large intestine.

Located in perineum below the pelvic
diaphragm.
It is surrounded by
Inner involuntary sphincter.
Outer voluntary sphincter.
It is not having taenia coli, scacculations,
and appendices epiplocae.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SMALL AND LARGE
INTESTINE
FEATURES SMALL LARGE
INTESTINE INTESTINE
Length 6 meteres 1.5 meteres
Lumen narrower wider
Mobility more less
Villi present absent
5. Peyer’s patches present absent
6. Taenia coli absent present
7. Appendices absent present
epiploicae
8. Sacculation absent present
The accessory organs
Liver
The largest internal organ in the body
and weighs about 1,500 g.
In adults it is 2.5% of the body weight.
Lies just inferior to the surface of right
hemi-diaphragm.
Divided into two main lobes and two
accessory lobes that are created by
reflections of the peritoneum.
Liver
Blood Supply: Hepatic artery and portal
vein.
Rt.lobe Lt.lobe Liver
 Functions

1. Receive nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract via the

portal circulation
2. Synthesize albumin, clotting factors, bile, and convert
ammonia to blood urea nitrogen (BUN)
3. Store glycogen and increase blood glucose levels via
gluconeogenesis
4. Metabolize medications .
5. Elimination of medications and bile into the bile
canaliculus.
 Gall bladder

7 - 10 cm long structure that lies on visceral surface

of the liver usually between the right lobe and
quadrate lobe and anteriorly against the duodenum.
The neck of is surrounded by the peritoneum helping
to bind it to the liver.
Components:
Fundus, body, neck, cystic duct, common hepatic
duct, common bile duct.
Function:
Holds or stores up to 50 mL of bile to aid in the
digestion of fat in the intestine.
 Gall bladder

Blood Supply: Cystic artery. Cystic vein drains into

portal vein.
Innervation:
Parasympathetic: Right phrenic nerve and vagus
nerve
Sympathetic: Greater splanchnic nerve and celiac
ganglion and plexus
Pancreas

Located slightly behind the stomach,

extends from the spleen to the duodenum.
Has endocrine and exocrine parts.
The endocrine part releases Insulin and
glucagon:
insulin: reduces blood glucose, by: .
 Salivary glands

Parotid gland

Submandibula
r
Sublingua