chapter 12 - the digestive system

• Digestive system

  • also called the gastrointestinal or alimentary tract
  • contains the organ involved in the ingestion and processing of food
  • four major functions: ingestion, digestion, absorption, and elimination
• Mouth


  opening through which food passes into the body
• Palate


  forms the roof of the mouth
• Uvula


  soft, V-shaped mass that hangs at the roof of the back of the mouth
• Pharynx


  performs the swallowing action that passes food from the mouth to the esophagus
• Esophagus


  tube that extends from the pharynx to the mouth
• Stomach


  container of food
• Antrum


  lower bulge of the stomach
• Pyloric sphincter


  ring of muscles that guards the opening between the stomach and the duodenum
• Small intestine


  twenty-foot canal extending from the pyloric sphincter to the large intestine
• Duodenum


  first 10 to 12 inches of the small intestine
• Jejunum


  second portion of the small intestine, about 8 feet long
• Ileum


  third portion of the small intestine, about 11 feet
• Large intestine


  canal that is about 5 feet long and extends from the ileum to the anus
• Cecum


  the first portion of the large intestine
• Colon


  next portion of the large intestine
• Rectum


  remaining portion of the large intestine
• Anus


  sphincter muscle that keeps an opening tight at the end of the digestive tract
• Salivary glands


  produce saliva, which flows into the mouth
• Liver


  produces bile, which is necessary for the digestion of fats
• Bile ducts


  passageways that carry bile
• Hepatic dust


  carries bile from the liver
• Cystic duct


  carries bile from the gallbladder
• Gallbladder


  small. sac-like structure that stores bile
• Pancreas


  located behind the stomach
• Peritoneum


  lining of the abdominal and pelvic function
• Appendix


  small pouch with no known function
• Abdomen


  portion of the body between thorax and the pelvis
• alimentation


  process of giving or taking nourishment
• gingivitis


  inflammation of the gums
• palatoplasty


  surgical repair of the palate
• pharyngitis


  inflammation of the pharynx
• sialorrhea


  excessive secretion of saliva
• stomatitis


  inflammation of the mouth
• colitis


  inflammation of the colon
• enteritis


  inflammation of the small intestine
• gastrocele


  hernial protrusion of the stomach
• jejunitis


  inflammation of the jejunum
• proctology


  study of the anus/rectum
• sigmoidotomy


  surgical incision into the sigmoid colon