Digestive System

• stomach


  An organ of the digestive system where most mechanical & chemical digestion of food happens

  
• esophagus


  A muscular tube that connects the pharynx to the stomach.

  
• large intestine


  Absorbs water and forms feces

  
• Liver


  makes bile, breaks down and eliminates toxins, such as nitrogen containing compounds

  
• mouth


  (oral or buccal cavity), is formed by the cheeks, hard and soft palates, lips, and tongue.

  
• small intestine


  Long hollow tube where most absorption of nutrients occurs

  
• pancreas


  An organs in the abdominal cavity with two roles. The first is to produce digestive enzymes . The second is to secrete insulin into the bloodstream to help regulate blood glucose levels.

  
• gall bladder


  An organ that stores bile and releases it as needed into the small intestine

  
• The 5 parts of the digestive process.

  Ingestion, movement, mechanical/chemical digestion, absorption, & defecation.

  
• gastrointestinal tract


  another name for alimentary canal
• rectum


  stores solid waste and compresses into more solid form in preparation for defecation.
• chemical digestion


  breaking down food with enzymes
• mechanical digestion


  crushing, mashing or breaking down food into smaller pieces
• colon


  another name for the large intestine
• duodenum


  first part of small intestine
• chyme


  A thin liquid, that is the result of the mechanical and chemical activities of the stomach.
• carbohydrase


  enzyme that breaks down starches into sugars
• hydrochloric acid


  kills bacteria in stomach and gives an acidic environment for enzymes to work
• rugae


  folds in the stomach that increase surface area
• villi


  fingerlike projections in the small intestine that increase surface area
• deciduous teeth


  another name for primary teeth (baby or milk teeth)
• pharynx


  section of GI tract that connects the mouth to the esophagus.
• peristalsis


  involuntary squeezing action of the muscles in the digestive system; causes food to move through
• epiglottis


  flap of tissue that covers the trachea when swallowing food
• bacteria (E-Coli)


  organisms found in the large intestine that help with digestion of solid matter
• salivary gland


  produces of saliva
• pepsin


  an enzyme that converts protein into amino acids
• lipase


  an enzyme that converts fats (lipids) into fatty acids and glycerol
• indigestion


  pain in stomach caused by too much acid
• feces


  Solid waste eliminated by the anus
• ingestion


  process of consuming food and liquid
• fiber


  crucial for bulking up food for efficient digestion
• carbohydrate


  our primary source of energy in food
• protein


  for growth and repair of tissue
• fats


  for insulation and secondary energy source
• cecum


  the cavity in which the large intestine begins and into which the ileum opens
• jejunum


  second part of the small intestine
• ilium


  last section of the small intestine, connects to the cecum of the large intestine
• saliva


  The fluid released when the mouth waters that plays an important role in both mechanical and chemical digestion
• transverse colon


  passes horizontally from right to left toward the spleen