DIGESTIVE PHYSIOLOGY

FUNCTIONS OF THE
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
ORAL CAVITY
 ORAL CAVITY

PHYSIOLOGICAL EVENTS
1. Ingestion
2. Mechanical digestion
3. Chemical digestion
4. Propulsion voluntary stage of swallowing
 ORAL CAVITY

Ingestion of food is
simply voluntarily
taking food into the
digestive tract
through the oral
cavity.
 ORAL CAVITY
MECHANICAL DIGESTION

As food enters the oral cavity

the cheeks and the closed lips
hold food between the teeth, the
tongue mixes the food with saliva
to soften it, and the teeth cut
and grind it into a bolus.

Mastication is both voluntary and

partly reflexive.
 ORAL CAVITY
CHEMICAL DIGESTION

Chemical digestion of starch

is begun by salivary amylase
present in saliva produced
mainly by the parotid, buccal,
submandibular glands.
 ORAL CAVITY

No other macromolecules are hydrolyzed within

the oral cavity.
 ORAL CAVITY
PROPULSION

The voluntary phase of

deglutition is initiated by
the tongue. The tip of the
tongue is place on the
hard palate, and then
contracts which forces
the bolus into the
oropharynx.
 ORAL CAVITY
NEUROLOGICAL CONTROL

1. Ingestion--voluntary--
2. Mechanical digestion--
3. Chemical digestion--
4. Swallowing--voluntary-
 ORAL CAVITY
HORMONAL CONTROL

NONE
PHARYNX
 PHARYNX

PHYSIOLOGICAL EVENTS
1. Chemical digestion
2. Propulsion
 PHARYNX

Carbohydrate digestion
continues. This is due to fact that the pH of
the pharynx is slightly acid to neutral
as is the oral cavity.
No other marcomolecule begins
chemical digestion.
 PHARYNX
PROPULSION

The pharyngeal phase of

deglutition is initiated by
food in the oropharynx.
The presence of food
causes the tongue to
blocks off the oral cavity,
the soft palate to rise and
close off the nasopharynx.
 PHARYNX
PROPULSION

In addition, the larynx to

rise so that the epiglottis
covers the opening into
the respiratory system,
and the upper esophageal
sphincter to relax and
open.
 PHARYNX
NEUROLOGICAL CONTROL

Propulsion, deglutition, is involuntary

and uses cranial nerves.
 PHARYNX
HORMONAL CONTROL

NONE
ESOPHAGUS
 ESOPHAGUS

PHYSIOLOGICAL EVENTS
1. Chemical digestion
2. Propulsion
 ESOPHAGUS

Carbohydrate digestion
continues. This is due to fact that the pH of
the esophagus is slightly acid to neutral
as is the oral cavity.
No other marcomolecule begins
chemical digestion.
 ESOPHAGUS
PROPLUSION

The esophageal phase of

deglutition begins as the
bolus passes through the
open upper esophageal
sphincter. The sphincter
then closed, and peristalsis
drives the bolus toward the
stomach.
 ESOPHAGUS

The bolus of food is

propelled within the
esophagus by peristalsis.
ESOPHAGUS
 ESOPHAGUS
NEUROLOGICAL CONTROL

Propulsion, deglutition, is involuntary

and uses cranial nerves.
 ESOPHAGUS
HORMONAL CONTROL

NONE
STOMACH
 STOMACH
PHYSIOLOGICAL EVENTS
1. Mechanical digestion
2. Chemical digestion
3. Propulsion
4. Absorption
 STOMACH
MECHANICAL DIGESTION

The bolus is mixed

with gastric juice
to form chyme.
 STOMACH

This is possible because of

the 3 muscle layers of the
stomach, and the contraction
of the pyloric sphincter.
 STOMACH
CHEMICAL DIGESTION

The chemical digestion of

carbohydrates, which
begin in the oral cavity,
is terminated due to a
decrease in pH.

The chemical digestion of

proteins begins in the
stomach.
 STOMACH
CHEMICAL DIGESTION

Carbohydrate digestion stops, due to the decrease

pH, and no lipid or nucleic acid digestion begins.
 STOMACH
PROPULSION

After a meal, peristalsis

begins near the cardiac region
and moves toward the pyloric
sphincter. The intensity of
the movements are due to the
increase in the number of
muscle layers of the stomach.
 STOMACH
The pyloric region of the
stomach holds about 30 ml
of chyme. It allows only
liquids and small particles of
chyme, about 3 ml, to pass
through the valve for each
peristaltic wave. The
contractions of the pylorius
decrease the opening of the
valve. This results in the
remaining chyme being
remixed again and again.
 STOMACH

The rate of peristaltic waves

is constant 3/min., however,
the intensity can be modified.
This contractile rhythm is set
by the spontaneous activity of
pacemaker cells located in the
longitudinal smooth muscle
layer. This cells establishes
the basic electrical rhythm of
the stomach.
 STOMACH

The stomach usually

empties completely within
4 hours after a meal. The
rate of gastric emplying
depends on the contents
of the duodenum as on
what is happening in the
stomach.
 STOMACH
ABSORPTION

1. ASPIRIN
2. ALCOHOL
3. DRUGS MOSTLY FAT SOLUBLE
 STOMACH
NEUROLOGICAL CONTROL
MECHANICAL DIGESTION
1. Pace-maker cells--interstitial cells of Cajal
establish intrinsic control.
2. Vagus nerve—control mechanical digestion
extrinsically.
 STOMACH
NEUROLOGICAL CONTROL
CHEMICAL
DIGESTION
 STOMACH
NEUROLOGICAL CONTROL

CEPHALIC PHASE

Slight, thought, taste, or

smell of food causes
stimulation of the vagus.
The vagus stimulates the
production of gastric
juice.
 STOMACH
NEUROLOGICAL CONTROL

GASTRIC PHASE VAGOVAGAL

REFLEX

Stomach distention will

act locally or evoke the
vagovagal reflex.
 STOMACH
NEUROLOGICAL CONTROL
CHEMICAL DIGESTION

Intestinal phase
 STOMACH
NEUROLOGICAL CONTROL
CHEMICAL
DIGESTION
INTESTINAL PHASE
 STOMACH
NEUROLOGICAL CONTROL

PROPULSION
1. Pace-maker cells--interstitial cells of Cajal
establish intrinsic control.
2. Vagus nerve—control mechanical digestion
extrinsically.
 STOMACH
NEUROLOGICAL CONTROL

ABSORPTION
1. NONE
 STOMACH
HORMONAL CONTROL

MECHANICAL DIGESTION
1. Gastrin--stimulate gastric emptying
2. Serotonin--contraction ofsmooth muscle
3. Somatostatin--inhibits motility and emptying
4. Secretin--inhibits gastric motility
5. Gastric Inhibitory Peptide--inhibits gastric motility
 STOMACH
HORMONAL CONTROL

CHEMICAL DIGESTION
1. Gastrin--stimulates gastric secretions
2. Histamine--stimulates HCl formation
3. Somatostatin—inhibits gastric secretions
4. Secretin--inhibits gastric secretions
5. Gastric inhibiory peptide--inhibits gastric
secretions
6. Vasoactive intestinal peptide-inhibits HCl
production
 STOMACH
HORMONAL CONTROL
CHEMICAL
DIGESTION INTESTINAL PHASE

HORMONAL
CONTROL
 STOMACH
HORMONAL CONTROL

PROPULSION
1. Gastrin--stimulates emptying
2. Somatostatin--inhibits gastric motility and emptying
3. Secretin--inhibits gastric motility and emptying
4. Gastric Inhibitory Peptide—inhibits gastric motility
and emptying
 STOMACH
HORMONAL CONTROL

ABSORPTION
1. NONE
LIVER GALLBLADDER
COMPLEX
 LIVER GALLBLADDER
COMPLEX

PHYSIOLOGICAL EVENTS
1. Mechanical digestion
 LIVER GALLBLADDER
COMPLEX
The liver produces bile,
which is an alkaline
solution, containing bile
salts, phospholipids, and
bile pigments. The liver
produces about 500 to
LIVER

1000 ml of bile daily. Bile

is transported to the GALLBLADDER

gall bladder for storage

and secretion.
 LIVER GALLBLADDER
COMPLEX
The gall bladder is located on
the inferior surface of the
liver. It is a green muscular
sac about 4 in. in length. The
gall bladder stores bile and
concentrates it by absorbing LIVER

some of its water and ions.

When it contracts bile is GALLBLADDER
expelled into the bile duct and
the duodenum.
LIVER GALLBLADDER
MECHANICAL DIGESTION

Site of Action Enzyme Food Stuff

Unemulsified
Triglyceride
Small Bile
Intestine
Emulsified
Triglyceride
 LIVER GALLBLADDER
NEUROLOGICAL CONTROL

The gallbladder is regulated

by the autonomic nervous
system. The parasympathetic
division, using the vagus nerve,
is excitatory and
the sympathetic division
inhibits the gallbladder.
 LIVER GALLBLADDER
HORMONAL CONTROL

The liver is stimulated by

secretin to produce bile
more rapidly. Cholecysto-
kinin stimulates the
gallbladder to contract
and hepatopancreatic
sphincter to relax, so that
bile can enter the
duodenum.
PANCREAS
 PANCREAS
PHYSIOLOGICAL EVENTS
1. Chemical digestion
 PANCREAS

The pancreas is both

and endocrine gland and
exocrine gland. The islets
of Langerhan are endocrine
and the acinar cells form
the exocrine portion.
 PANCREAS
The pancreatic juice,
produced by the acinar
cells, moves from the
pancreas to the duodenum
in the pancreatic duct.

Pancreatic juice consists

mainly of water, enzymes,
and bicarbonate ions. The
pH is alkaline which helps to
neutralize the acid chyme.
 PANCREATIC JUICE
PANCREATIC JUICE

1. Pancreatic amylase
2. Pancreatic lipase
3. Pancreatic ribonuclease & deoxyribonuclease
4. Trypsin, chymotrypsin, carboxypolypeptidase
5. Bicarbonate ions
 PANCREAS

CHEMICAL DIGESTION
PANCREAS
PANCREAS
PANCREAS
 PANCREAS
NEUROLOGICAL CONTROL

The pancreas is regulated

by the autonomic nervous
system. The parasympathetic
Division, using the vagus
nerve, is excitatory and
the sympathetic division
inhibits the pancreas.
 PANCREAS
HORMONAL CONTROL

The pancreas is regulated

hormonally by secretin and
cholecystokinin (CCK). CCK
induces the acinar cells to
secrete the enzymes found in
pancreatic juice. Secretin
causes bicarbonate ions to
form.
SMALL INTESTINES
 SMALL INTESTINES
PHYSIOLOCIAL EVENTS

1. Mechanical digestion
2. Chemical digestion
3. Absorption
4. Propulsion
 SMALL INTESTINES
MECHANICAL DIGESTION

In segmentation, nonadjacent
segments of the intestine
alternately contract and
relax, moving the chyme
forward and then backward
resulting through mixing. This
results in the chyme being well
mixed with the enzymes from
the liver and the pancreas.
 SMALL INTESTINES
In addition, segmentation
ensures that the chyme well
move to the plasma
membrane of the lining cells of
the small intestine. These
simple columnar epithelial cells
have brush border enzymes
within their plasma membrane
which complete the chemical
digestion of the chyme.
 SMALL INTESTINES
CHEMICAL DIGESTION

Chemical digestion in
the small intestines, is
the result of the
intestinal brush border
enzymes.
SMALL INTESTINES
SMALL INTESTINES
SMALL INTESTINES
ABSORPTION
 SMALL INTESTINES

PROTEIN ABSORPTION
 SMALL INTESTINES

LIPID ABSORPTION
 SMALL INTESTINES

LIPID ABSORPTION
SMALL INTESTINES
ABSORPTION
 SMALL INTESTINES
PROPULSION

Propulsion is the result of

peristalsis. This causes
adjacent segments to
alternately contract and
relax.
 SMALL INTESTINES

Peristalsis occurs only

after most nutrients have
been absorbed. It
requires about 2 hours for
undigested material to
reach the ileocecal valve.

ILEOCECAL VALVE
 SMALL INTESTINES
NEUROLOGICAL CONTROL

MECHANICAL DIGESTION

Segmentation is initiated
by intrinsic pacemaker cells
in longitudinal smooth
muscle layer.
 SMALL INTESTINES
NEUROLOGICAL CONTROL
 SMALL INTESTINES
NEUROLOGICAL CONTROL

The rate of segmentation in the duodenum

is 12-14 contractions/minute.
Segmentation moves intestinal contents slowly
and steadily toward the ileocecal valve at a rate
which allows time to complete digestion
and absorption. The stomach initiates
the gastroileal reflex, which enhances the force of
segmentation.
 SMALL INTESTINES
NEUROLOGICAL CONTROL

CHEMICAL DIGESTION

There is no neurological control of

chemical digestion within the small
intestines, this is due to the
natural of the brush border enzymes.
 SMALL INTESTINES
NEUROLOGICAL CONTROL

ABSORPTION

There is no neurological control of

absorption within the small
Intestines.
 SMALL INTESTINES
NEUROLOGICAL CONTROL
PROPULSION

Peristalsis occurs only after most nutrients have been

absorbed. Peristaltic waves initiated in the
duodenum begin to sweep slowly along the small
intestines, moving 10-70 cm before dying out. Each
successive wave is initiated a bit more distally, and
this pattern of peristaltic activity, migrating mobility
complex, continues until the undigested food is
moved to the ileum a 2 hour trip. The gastroileal
reflex causes the ileocecal sphincter to relax.
 SMALL INTESTINES
NEUROLOGICAL CONTROL

Persistalsis is regulated extrinsically

by the autonomic nervous
system. The parasympathetic
division is excitatory and
the sympathetic is inhibitory.
 SMALL INTESTINES
HORMONAL CONTROL
MECHANICAL DIGESTION

Gastrin stimulates
contraction of the
smooth muscle of the
small intestines. This results
in an increase in
segmentation.
 SMALL INTESTINES
HORMONAL CONTROL

ABSORPTION

ABSORPTION IS INHIBITED BY
SOMATOSTATIN.
 SMALL INTESTINES
HORMONAL CONTROL

PROPULSION

Perstalsis is stimulated by
gastrin. Also, gastrin relaxes
the ileocecal valve,
which allow chyme into
the large intestines.
LARGE INTESTINES
 LARGE INTESTINES

PHYSIOLOGICAL EVENTS
1. Absorption
2. Propulsion
 LARGE INTESTINES

ABSORPTION

VITAMINS, ELECTROLYTES,
AND WATER ARE
ABSORBED IN LARGE
INTESTINES.
LARGE INTESTINES
LARGE INTESTINES
Mass movements occur
within the large intestines.
They are long slow-moving
contractile waves that
occur 3 or 4 times per day.
Typically mass movements
occur during or after
eating.
 LARGE INTESTINES
NEUROLOGICAL CONTROL

PROPULSION

The presence of food in the

stomach activates the
gastroileal reflex in the
small intestines. It, in turn,
stimulates the gastrocolic
reflex of the large intestines.