Digestive System

Practice flashcards for key vocabulary terms related to the digestive system.

Gastrointestinal system

Also referred to as the digestive system.

Motility

Movement of material in the GI tract due to muscle contraction.

Chyme

Semi-solid mixture of food and digestive juices formed in the stomach.

Peristalsis

Progressive waves of contraction that move food through the digestive tract.

Deglutition

Swallowing; reflex that pushes a bolus of food or liquid into esophagus.

Mucosa

Innermost layer of the gut, involved in secretion and absorption.

Rugae

Folds in the stomach that increase surface area.

Zymogens

Inactive enzyme precursors that require activation in the digestive process.

Bile salts

Compounds that aid in the digestion and absorption of fats.

Hepatic portal system

Veins that carry blood from the digestive organs to the liver before entering systemic circulation.

Gastrin

Hormone that stimulates secretion of gastric acid.

Exocrine glands

Glands that secrete substances like digestive enzymes into ducts.

Segmentation contractions

Alternate contraction and relaxation of short segments of intestine to mix food.

Somatostatin

Hormone that inhibits gastric secretion and slows down digestion.

Enteric nervous system

Part of the nervous system that directly controls the gastrointestinal system.

Villi

Finger-like projections in the intestine that increase surface area for absorption.

Fluid balance

Matching fluid input with fluid output in the digestive system.