The alimentary canal

• what is the function of the mouth?

  • salivary glands in mouth produce amylase enzyme in saliva
  • teeth break down food
• What is the function of the oesophagus?

  • muscular tube connects mouth to stomach
• what is the function of the liver?

  • where bile is produced
• what is the function of the gall bladder?

  where bile is stored
• what is the function of the large intestine?

  • where excess water is absorbed from the food
• what is the function of the rectum?

  • last part of large intestine
  • faeces stored before removed from the anus
• what is the function of the stomach?

  • pummels food with muscular walls
  • produces protease enzyme - pepsin
  • produces HCL - to kill bacteria and give optimum pH for protease enzyme to work
• what is the function of the pancreas?

  • produces protease, amylase and lipase enzymes - releases these into small intestine
• what is the function of the small intestine?

  • produces protease, amylase and lipase enzymes to complete digestion
  • nutrients absorbed out of alimentary canal into body
  • 1st part - duodenum
  • last part - ileum
• what is the function of the villi?

  • small intestine adapted for absorption of food
  • very long - time to break down and absorb all food before it reaches the end
  • very big SA for absorption - walls of small intestine - covered in millions and millions of tiny little projections - villi
  • each cell on surface of villus - has own microvilli - little projections that increase the SA even more
  • villi - single permeable layer of surface cells - very good blood supply - assist quick absorption