Digestion

Digestion is a process by which large food molecules are

broken down into small molecules, which can be absorbed
into the blood and transported to different organs.
For instance, 
•carbohydrates in the food are broken down into glucose
•proteins are broken down into amino acids, and
•fats are broken down into fatty acids and glycerol.
 Human Digestive system

Consists of:
a) alimentary canal or gastrointestinal tract
b) accessory organs
Alimentary canal or gastrointestinal tract
Food passes through a long tube inside the body is known
as gastrointestinal tract (GI tract).
The entire system ‘from mouth to anus’ is about 30 feet long.

The GI tract consists of

1.Oral cavity (mouth)
2.Pharynx
3.Esophagus
4.Stomach
5.Small intestines
6.Large intestines (commonly known as colon)
7. Rectum
8. Anus
 Human gastrointestinal (GI) tract

The GI tract starts at

the mouth, continues
to the pharynx,
esophagus, and
stomach.
The stomach then
connects to the small
intestine, which in
turn connects to the
large intestine,
rectum, and ends at
the anus.
 Accessory organs
Organs that help our body to digest food but do not have
food pass through them.

Accessory organs of the

digestive system include
1.Teeth
2.Tongue
3.Salivary glands
4.Liver
5.Gallbladder
6.Pancreas
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Functions of different parts of
human digestive system

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The oral cavity
Commonly known as Mouth and it is the beginning of the
digestive tract. Carbohydrate and fat digestion starts here.
 Inside the mouth there are some accessory organs that aid
in the digestion of food:
• Teeth
• Tongue
• Salivary glands
Teeth: break food into smaller pieces.
Tongue: manipulates food and forms it into a bolus.
Salivary glands: produce a watery secretion known as saliva,
which lubricates food so that food passes through the mouth
and esophagus.
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The Esophagus
 The esophagus shuttles food from the pharynx (part
of mouth) to the stomach.
 Muscles surrounding the esophagus perform
peristalsis, the rhythmic contraction of muscle that
forces food to move along the esophageal passage.

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The Stomach
 It is a saclike organ.
 Digestion occurs in the stomach by the gastric juice,
secreted from gastric glands located in the stomach
lining.
 Gastric juice is an acidic mixture of enzymes and
mucus.
 Protein digestion starts in the stomach. Carbohydrate
and fat are not digested here.
Finally, a mixture of gastric acid
and partially digested food
called chyme passes out of the
stomach. 9
The Small Intestine
•In the small intestine, most of the chemical digestion
and absorption takes place.
•The small intestine is split into three sections:
(1) duodenum, (2) jejunum, and (3) ileum.
•Chemical digestion takes place in the duodenum and
jejunum. Most absorption of the nutrients takes place in
the ileum, the final section of the small intestine.
•Small projections called villi cover the ileum walls.
Nutrients pass through blood capillaries in the lining of
the villi and into the bloodstream, where they circulate
first to the liver, then throughout the rest of the body.
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The Large Intestine
• Food from the small intestine empties into the large
intestine (colon).
• No digestion and only a small percentage of
absorption take place in the large intestine.
• The large intestine primarily functions to concentrate
waste material into a form called feces.
• The large intestine compacts feces and moves it into
the rectum, where it is exited from the body through
the anus. 

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Rectum
Rectum is a muscular storage chamber where the
undigested food (feces) is held and molded before being
pushed through anus during expulsion.

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Anus
• It is the exit of the alimentary canal
• It is closed by a ring of muscle (the analy sphincter)
• The ring is relaxed during expulsion of feces.
Accessory organs

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Liver
 Largest internal organ, called the ‘chemical factory’
 Produces bile and sends it to the gallbladder
The gallbladder
 It is connected to the liver and the small intestine by
the biliary tract.
 It stores bile (also called ‘gall’), and secretes it into
the small intestine during fat digestion.

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Pancreas
 Leaf like organ which lies between the stomach and the
small intestine.
 It secretes pancreatic juice (enzymes+bicarbonate) into the
small intestine to help digestion of food.
 Enzyme functions:
Pancreatic amylase: digests starch (carbohydrate) into glucose
Protease: digests protein into amino acids
Pancreatic lipase: digests fat into fatty acids and glycerol

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