...Digestive System Mouth The mouth is the beginning of the digestive tract; and, in fact, digestion starts here when taking the first bite of food. Chewing breaks the food into pieces that are more easily digested. Esophagus Located in your throat near your trachea (windpipe), the esophagus receives food from your mouth when you swallow. Stomach Located in your throat near your trachea (windpipe), the esophagus receives food from your mouth when you swallow. Small intestine made up of three segments — the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum — the small intestine is a 22-foot long muscular tube that breaks down food using enzymes released by the pancreas and bile from the liver. Pancreas The pancreas secretes digestive enzymes into the duodenum, the first segment of the small intestine. These enzymes break down protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Liver The liver has multiple functions, but its main function within the digestive system is to process the nutrients absorbed from the small intestine. Gallbladder The gallbladder stores and concentrates bile, and then releases it into the duodenum to help absorb and digest fats. Colon (large intestine) The colon is a 6-foot long muscular tube that connects the small intestine to the rectum. The large intestine is made up of the cecum, the ascending (right) colon, the transverse (across) colon, the descending (left) colon, and the sigmoid colon, which connects to the rectum. The appendix is a small tube attached to...
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...The digestive system is the set of organs which transform whatever we eat into substances that can be used in the body for energy, growth and repair. The digestive system consists of the upper and lower alimentary tract. The upper section of the digestive system consists of the oral cavity, teeth, tongue, salivary glands, pharynx and oesophagus. The lower alimentary tract is composed of the stomach, intestines and the glands of the digestive system i.e. the liver, gall bladder and the pancreas. The glands of the digestive system are accessory organs because although food does not pass directly through them, they help the process, breaking down the toxins or waste digestion produces. There are four stages of digestion. The first stage takes place in the mouth where the action of teeth and saliva combine; chewing and partially digesting the food so that it will pass more easily along the oesophagus. Saliva contains the enzyme amylase which acts on cooked starch. The ball of food that leaves the mouth through the action swallowing is known as a bolus. The tongue pushes the bolus to the back of the mouth towards the pharynx, a muscular tube behind the mouth. The food passes into the pharynx and down to the oesophagus. In the oesophagus the chewed food is carried from the pharynx to the stomach by a muscular contraction known as peristalsis. The lining of the oesophagus secretes mucus to ease and lubricate the passage of food. The second stage of digestion takes place in the...
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...E.J.S. BIO 235L: Anatomy & Physiology II Lab The Digestive System and its Accessory Organs 1. Parotid Gland 2. Sublingual Gland 3. Submandibular Gland 4. Liver 5. Gallbladder 6. Duodenum 7. Pancreas 8. Hepatic Flexure 9. Ascending Colon 10. Ileum 11. Cecum 12. Appendix 13. Sigmoid Flexure 14. Anus 15. Rectum 16. Sigmoid Colon 17. Descending Colon 18. Jejunum 19. Transverse Colon 20. Splenic Flexure of Transverse Colon 21. Spleen 22. Stomach 23. Esophagus 1. Parotid Gland 2. Sublingual Gland 3. Submandibular Gland 4. Liver 5. Gallbladder 6. Duodenum 7. Pancreas 8. Hepatic Flexure 9. Ascending Colon 10. Ileum 11. Cecum 12. Appendix 13. Sigmoid Flexure 14. Anus 15. Rectum 16. Sigmoid Colon 17. Descending Colon 18. Jejunum 19. Transverse Colon 20. Splenic Flexure of Transverse Colon 21. Spleen 22. Stomach 23. Esophagus The Digestive Pathway Mechanical Digestion begins in the mouth from the moment that a food bolus enters the oral cavity. Mastication, the mechanical breakdown of the food bolus by chewing occurs here. Chemical Digestion begins when the Salivary Glands (Parotid, Sublingual and Submandibular Glands) release saliva into the oral cavity. Saliva contains amylase, an enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates. After bolus has been broken down adequately, swallowing occurs. The food bolus will move through the pharynx and enter the esophagus continuing its journey via peristalsis (rhythmic contractions of the...
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...The Digestive System and Its Activities What happens to food when it is ingested? To understand this process it is important to know how the digestive system works and its components. The digestive system is more than just the stomach and colon, rather it is a system of organs working together to break down food into “nutrient molecules, absorbing these molecules into the bloodstream, and ridding the body of the indigestible remains” (Elaine and Katja 849). The digestive system is composed of the alimentary canal, also known as the gastrointestinal tract, and its accessory digestive organs. The alimentary canal “is a muscular tube lined with epithelium [tissue] and adapted regionally to the various functions of the digestive organs” (Fritsch and Wolfgang 42). It includes the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. It is in the alimentary canal where food is broken down to smaller fragments and absorbed by the bloodstream. The teeth, tongue in the mouth; and the gallbladder, salivary glands, liver, and pancreas connected by ducts to the GI tract make up the accessory digestive organs. These accessory organs release or store special secretions that aid in digestive and absorptive processes. The mouth is the entryway to the alimentary canal. In depth, the mouth, or oral cavity, is bordered by lips, cheeks, palate, and tongue. When opened anteriorly it is called the oral orifice. The mouth region contains thick stratified squamous epithelium...
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...The Human Digestion Summary SCI241 September 4, 2014 Kimberly Johnson The Human Digestion Summary Before telling you what factors affect the amount of time it takes for foods to travel through the digestive tract, and how does digestion occur in each part of the digestion system, how proteins, fats, and carbohydrates break down in the digestive system, and what types of food help with digestion; I'm going to first tell you what the digestion system is and what it is made up of. Per the NDDIC (National Digestive Disease Information Clearinghouse), "Digestion works by moving food through the GI tract. Digestion begins in the mouth with chewing and ends in the small intestine. As food passes through the GI tract, it mixes with digestive juices, causing large molecules of food to break down into smaller molecules. The body then absorbs these smaller molecules through the walls of the small intestine into the bloodstream, which delivers them to the rest of the body. Waste products of digestion pass through the large intestine and out of the body as a solid matter called stool". (NIH Publication No. 13-2681, 2013). Knowing all of that now I can tell you more about the digestion system. You may be wondering how long does it take for food to pass through your GI track; well let's just say it's up to your body on how fast it wants' to pass the intake through. Having knowledge from working in Colon and Rectal Surgery it overall take the normal person anywhere from one to three...
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...The digestive system is a complex series of organs that process and break down the foods we eat. The 7 major types of the digestive system is the mouth, esophagus, stomach, large intestine, small intestine, rectum (also known as the colon) and the anus. These are the major categories you need to have a proper digestive system. Such as your gallbladder helps your digestive track but it is not an essential you have to have. You can have it removed and still live and digest all the things you eat. The 1st step of the 7 step digestive system is the mouth. The mouth is the beginning process where we chew our food to help break it down to better the digestion process. The saliva we secrete during the chewing process has enzymes that help the breaking down of the food (summins). When we chew we don’t think about the process the food is going for. We always as kids were taught to chew our food so we don’t choke. While this is very true there is more to chewing than just choking. The chewing helps break down the food before the enzymes and other matter can reach the food. Easier to be transformed into waste later on. The 2nd step in the digestive process is the esophagus; the esophagus is a muscular tube connecting the throat with the stomach. The esophagus is about 8 inches long, and is lined by moist pink tissue called mucosa. The esophagus runs behind the trachea (also known as the windpipe) and heart, and in front of the spine. Just before entering the stomach, the esophagus...
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...Briefly describe the overall structure of the digestive system with reference to all the major organs The function of the digestive system is “the mechanical and chemical breakdown of foods and the absorption of nutrients by cells”(1) The structure of the digestive system consists of the alimentary canal which is 9 meters in length. Its starts at the mouth and ends at the anus with the accessory organs. Alimentary Canal Mouth-Consist of the tongue, taste buds, palate , palatine tonsils and teeth. Pharynx-is the nasal and oral cavitys. Oesophagus- a muscular tube leading to the stomach Stomach-pouch shapped organ. Small intestine-organ that contains 3 parts. Large intestine- starts at the ileum contains the caecum and colon and ends at the rectum. Accessory Organs Salivary glands- There are 3: Parotid, submandibular and sublingual. Liver- It has 2 lobes Gallbladder- Pancreas- Describe the process of digestion The digestion of food begins in the mouth which contains the tongue which moves food around making it easier to chew and also contains the taste buds, palate , palatine tonsils and teeth. The tooth has 4 layers which are the crown, the root, the enamel and dentin. These all contribute to digestion by reducing the size of the food, taste the food (which makes food enjoyable), and also protects against infection. The food then continues its journey through the pharynx to the muscular tube called the oesophagus. The food then passes to the stomach through...
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...Week One iLab 10/29/13 Part 1 Fourteen parts of the digestive system: anal canal, appendix, ascending colon, descending colon, esophagus, gallbladder, liver, pancreas, parotid salivary gland, pharynx, rectum, small intestine, stomach, transverse colon. Part 2 The parotid salivary gland is by the ear in which I will remember because saliva comes down that area into where the cheeks are. The pharynx is right below the parotid glands and is followed by the esophagus. The liver is the largest organ and is met at the end of the esophagus. Right below the liver you will find the gallbladder and next to that is the stomach. Behind the stomach you will find the pancreas followed by the intestines. I best remember the large intestine going clockwise starting with the ascending colon, and then met in the middle which is the transverse colon which reminds me of the word transfer, after that is the descending colon. The appendix is right next to the ascending colon which I will remember by them both starting with the letter A. And of course following the descending colon is the rectum and anal canal. I will always remember the small intestine is in the middle of the large intestine and where the others are by the following screen shot I included below. Part 3 Digestive system parts and the mechanism that occurs in that digestive system part: Mouth: propulsion, chemical and mechanical digestion ...
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...Digestive System Function: To break down food into usable (absorbable) form Processes involved: 1. Ingestion 2. Movement of food along GIT – voluntary (ie: swallowing); involuntary (ie: peristalsis) 3. Digestion a. Mechanical (i.e.: mastication, emulsification, mixing waves, segmentation) b. Chemical - carbohydrates ( disaccharides ( monosaccharides - proteins ( amino acids - lipids ( fatty acids + glycerol 4. Absorption 5. Excretion (defecation) Organs involved: A. Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) – mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine B. Accessory structures – teeth, tongue, salivary glands, liver, gall bladder, pancreas Histology of GIT – 1. Mucosa – a. epithelium b.lamina propria (CT) c.muscularis mucosa (smooth muscle) 2. Submucosa 3. Muscularis externa 4. Serosa (aka- visceral peritoneum) Peritoneum & Mesenteries – - parietal & visceral peritoneum - Greater & lesser omentum - Mesentery proper Mouth (oral/buccal cavity) A. Tongue – - intrinsic/extrinsic muscles - papillae – filiform, fungiform, circumvallate B. Salivary glands - parotid, submandibular, sublingual -saliva A. Teeth –Involved...
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...Digestive System The digestive process is important in maintaining the lives of living organisms and in providing them with needed energy. Groups of organs, such as the mouth, esophagus, stomach, and intestines, work together to perform this complex task. Digestion is the process of breaking down food from large molecules into small ones to make it easier for absorption. The three major steps involved in the digestive process are ingestion, digestion, and absorption. Ingestion, which occurs in the mouth, is the first step of the digestive process. After food enters the mouth, the teeth chew it. Saliva, which is produced by the salivary glands, plays a major role in breaking down the food into smaller pieces. These small pieces travel to the stomach through the esophagus. In the stomach, the second step of the digestive process begins. When the chewed food reaches the bottom of the esophagus, a valve lets the food enter the stomach. Contraction of the stomach wall mixes the food. Acidic gastric juices, which are secreted by the gastric glands in the stomach, help in mixing the food and in turning it into a partial liquid so it will have the ability to move into the small intestine.In the small intestine, enzymes are secreted, and digestion is completed. The last step in the digestive process is absorption. Absorption takes place in the small intestine. The wall of the small intestine is lined with small, finger like projections called villi. Small molecules...
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...Stuart Jefferson September 6, 2013 David West Nutrition What happens with the food we eat? Most of us have a pretty simple explanation for this. We know that our body absorbs nutrients from the food that helps to give us energy and stuff like that, and then the excess gets excreted and passes through the body. That pretty much sums it up then, right? While that is true, there is a lot that goes on in our body between our mouths and our bottoms, this is called digestion. This will be a map of food through our digestive system, or digestive tract. Our digestive tract is a series of hollow organs that are joined in a long and twisty tube, and it all begins in our mouth, where we take in, chew, and swallow food. This is also where the food we are chewing is first introduced to mucosa. Mucosa contains tiny glands that produce juices that help digest the food. Next it travels through the esophagus, a long tube leading to the stomach. Food in the stomach is met with more mucosa, and the body really starts getting to work on it. The stomach stores food, breaks it down into a liquid, and passes it on to small intestine. At this point it is important to note that just because it is called the “small” intestine, does not mean it is small. In fact, if someone were to stretch out an adult’s small intestine, it would stretch to be around 22 feet long, and about 2 inches wide. Either way, this step in the process is very important. When the liquid mixture made by the stomach is...
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...Parts of the digestive system: Esophagus-is located behind the windpipe in the neck area. Propulsion Appendix- is located underneath the large intestine Pancreas-is located between the stomach and transverse colon Gall Bladder-is located under the liver Transverse Colon-located under the pancreas and above the small instestine. Parotid Salivary Gland- Ascending Colon Descending Colon Stomach- is located next to the liver and under the diaphragm. Propulsion, chemical digestion, mechanical digestion, absorption Pharynx- is located behind the tongue Small Intestine-is located above the rectum and next to the appendix. Propulsion, chemical digestion, mechanical digestion, absorption Large Intestine-Propulsion, chemical digestion, absorption Anal Canal Liver-is located under the diaphragm and above the gall bladder. Rectum-is located under the small intestine Mouth-Propulsion, chemical digestion ,mechanical digestion Propulsion-the act of propelling. Once food is chewed and mixed with saliva, it is propelled down the esophagus. To propel is to move the food substance from one point to another point in the digestive process. Absorption-to take something in through the skin or intestine. When we eat, the food is absorbed through the cells and bloodstream . Mechanical digestion-aspect of digestion through mechanical mechanisms or movement. Mechanical digestions begins when we begin to chew our food, and continues as the food substance is moved from different...
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...Human Digestive System Twila Williams January 7, 2015 SCI/241 Shirlene Small Digestion is movement of breaking down what food you consume in your body through your mouth into molecules so that the body can absorb it. “Proteins, carbohydrates, and fats in our diets must be broken down and later, reassembled in forms useful to our body.” (Carter, 2014) We often eat foods that are hard to digest or we have a problem that won’t allow us to digest foods properly. The digestion process is very important for our bodies to provide the necessary nutrients it needs to survive, but is the most complicated process. Before I take you through the process of the human digestive system, let me tell you about some foods that the body will digest easily and those foods that are hard to digest. If your diet consist of being high in fiber and fats then your body will have problems digesting these foods. Though fiber is supposed to be good for the body, it is also hard to digest. The organs and format that consist of the path that food travels through the human digestive system would consist of the mouth, which food enters and comes in contact with your saliva. The salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas, all provide the necessary enzymes from their secretions for the process of the digestive system. When we see and smell food our saliva glands begin the process of the digestive system. After one put food in their mouth the teeth chew the food allowing the food to turn...
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...The Journey through the Digestive System When you enter the food in your mouth you chew the food and swallow, the food travels through your esophagus -- which is the passageway that connects your mouth to your stomach. In the stomach, strong acids and enzymes digest, or break down, the food into small particles. Some of these particles are probably familiar to you. They are called proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. After leaving your stomach, these food particles enter the small intestine. This is a long, continuous tube that slowly contracts, or squeezes, to push the food along through it. As the small intestine continues to digest your food, it absorbs nutrients that your body uses for energy, growth, and repairs. By the time the food reaches the end of the small intestine, almost all of its nutrients have been absorbed. At this point, what's left of the food is mostly water and indigestible waste products. This material then enters the large intestine, or colon, which is also a long tube. Its main job is to remove water from the waste products as they pass through and recycle this water back to your body. After traveling through this area, the waste is held at the end of the colon in the rectum. It will then leave your body through the anus as stool when you have a bowel movement. How firm your stool will be depends on how long it has been in your colon. If the stool moves through quickly, it will be more watery. But if it moves through too slowly, you can become constipated...
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...I ate a ham and swiss cheese sandwich for lunch on Day Three, which contained all three macronutrients. There was carbohydrate from the Asiago cheese bread, fat from the swiss cheese, and protein from the ham. Digestion of this sandwich began in my mouth, when I bit into it and chewed the macronutrients into smaller pieces with my teeth. Then the saliva, secreted from the salivary glands, moistened the food and began the chemical breakdown of the food. Amylase, an enzyme in the saliva, broke down the complex carbohydrates. Once the food was chewed in my mouth, the trachea closed and the upper esophageal sphincter, a muscle at the top of the esophagus, opened to allow passage of food into the esophagus. Then the food moved from the esophagus to the stomach by gravity and the rhythmic pulsing of inner and outer muscles of the esophagus, called peristalsis. Once the food reached the end of the esophagus, the gastroesophageal sphincter relaxed and the food passed into the stomach. As soon as the food reached the stomach, it was mixed with the gastric juice that contains important compounds used to further digest the protein and fats. This is known as the gastric phase, when the hormone gastrin was secreted. Gastrin stimulated stomach contractions, which mixed and churned the food until it became chyme. Gastrin also increased the secretion of the gastric cells, which made the gastric juices more acidic. The gastric juice contains hydrochloric acid, gastric lipase, and mucus. The hydrochloric...
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