Digestive System

Subdecks (1)

Cards (40)

  • Digestive system
    An organ system comprised of organs with the major function to convert food into simpler, absorbable nutriments to keep the body functioning and healthy
  • Digestive system in humans
    • Fundamentally comprised of the gastrointestinal tract
  • Digestive system phases
    1. Ingestion
    2. Movement
    3. Mechanical and chemical digestion
    4. Absorption
    5. Elimination
  • Ingestion
    The process of taking food into the mouth
  • Mechanical digestion
    • Chew
    • Tear
    • Grind
    • Mash
    • Mix
  • Chemical digestion
    Breaking larger molecules into smaller molecules through enzymatic reactions
  • Enzymatic reactions to improve digestion of
    • Carbohydrates
    • Proteins
    • Lipids
  • Absorption
    The process of moving nutrients, water, and electrolytes from the lumen of the small intestine into the cells and then into the blood
  • Elimination
    Molecules that are not absorbed and undigested are eliminated and pass out of your body as wastes through anus
  • Gastrointestinal (GI) tract

    • Tube within a tube
    • Direct link/path between organs
  • Structures of the GI tract
    • Mouth
    • Pharynx
    • Esophagus
    • Stomach
    • Small intestine
    • Large Intestine
    • Rectum
  • Mouth
    • Teeth mechanically break down food
    • Tongue mixes food with saliva (contains amylase, which helps break down starch)
    • Epiglottis, flap-like structure, prevents food entry (located in Pharynx)
  • Esophagus
    • Approximately 20 cm long
    • Secretes mucus
    • Moves food from throat to stomach via peristalsis (muscle movement)
    • Causes heartburn if stomach acid enters
  • Stomach
    • J-shaped muscular bag for food storage and digestion
    • Mixes food with Digestive Juices that contain enzymes to break down Proteins and Lipids
    • Kills bacteria with acid (HCl)
    • Chyme (food) found in stomach
  • Small intestine
    • 7 meters long
    • Lining features finger-like villi for increased surface area
    • Villi covered in microvilli for increased absorption
  • Large intestine
    • 1.5 meters long
    • Accepts what small intestines don't absorb
    • Rectum (short term storage which holds feces before it is expelled)
    • Bacterial digestion: Ferment carbohydrates, Absorb more water, Concentrate wastes
  • Liver
    • Directly affects digestion by producing bile (helps digest fat)
    • Filters out toxins and waste including drugs, alcohol and poisons
  • Gallbladder
    • Stores bile from the liver, releases it into the small intestine
    • Fatty diets can cause gallstones
  • Pancreas
    • Produces digestive enzymes to digest fats, carbohydrates and proteins
    • Regulates blood sugar by producing insulin