Digestive System Anatomy and Physiology CUIZ LAB

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering anatomical terminology, physiological definitions, and cadaver identification for the human digestive system.

Lips

Tongue

Oral Cavity

Teeth

are hard structures in the mouth that aid in the mechanical digestion of food by breaking it down into smaller pieces.

Hard Palate

The anterior, bony portion forming the roof of the oral cavity.

Soft Palate

The posterior, muscular portion forming the roof of the oral cavity.

Uvula

The conical posterior projection of the soft palate that functions to close off the nasal cavity during swallowing.

Crown

is the visible part of a tooth above the gum line, covered by enamel, and is responsible for chewing food.

Root

that anchors a tooth in the jawbone, containing nerves and blood vessels.

Primary Teeth

The first set of $20$ deciduous teeth that erupt in sockets of the alveolar processes and are eventually shed.

Secondary Teeth

The permanent set of $32$ teeth that replace primary teeth.

Incisors

Chisel-shaped teeth adapted specifically for biting off pieces of food.

Canines (Cuspids)

Cone-shaped teeth adapted specifically for grasping and tearing food.

Premolars (Bicuspids)

Teeth with broad surfaces that function in grinding food particles; absent in primary dentition.

Molars

Posterior teeth with flattened crowns adapted to grind food particles.

Pharynx

a muscular tube connecting the mouth and nasal passages to the esophagus and larynx, playing a key role in breathing and swallowing.

3 salivary Glands

Enamel

The calcium salt-rich, highly calcified outer layer covering the tooth crown; the hardest substance in the human body.

Dentin

The living, bone-like substance underlying the enamel that surrounds the central pulp cavity and is harder than bone.

Pulp Cavity contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue that support the tooth.

Gingiva

The gums lining the alveolar processes around the necks of the teeth.

Anus

is the opening at the end of the digestive tract through which waste is expelled from the body.

Parotid Gland

The largest major salivary gland, located anterior to the ear, which secretes a clear, watery serous fluid rich in amylase.

Submandibular Gland

A major salivary gland located in the floor of the mouth that secretes a viscous combination of serous fluid and mucus.

Sublingual Gland

The smallest major salivary gland, located inferior to the tongue, which produces a thick, stringy mucus secretion.

Sigmoid Colon

The sigmoid colon is the S-shaped segment of the large intestine that connects the descending colon to the rectum. It is responsible for storing fecal waste until it is ready to be expelled from the body.

Cystic Ductis the duct that carries bile from the gallbladder to the common bile duct, facilitating the flow of bile into the duodenum.

Pancreas

Esophagus

A collapsible, straight muscular passageway leading food from the pharynx down to the stomach.

Lower Esophageal (Cardiac) Sphincter

A ring of circular smooth muscle that prevents regurgitation of acidic gastric contents back into the esophagus.

Stomach

A J-shaped muscular organ in the upper left abdominal quadrant that receives food, initiates protein digestion, and propels chyme to the small intestine.

Rugae (Gastric Folds)

Mucosal and submucosal folds that allow for distention of the stomach when food enters.

Fundus

The small, dome-shaped superior region of the stomach that balloons higher than the cardia.

Body of the Stomach

The main, central portion of the stomach situated between the fundus and the pylorus.

Pyloric Sphincter

is the region of the stomach that connects to the duodenum. It helps regulate the passage of partially digested food into the small intestine.

Small Intestine

is a long, coiled tube where most digestion and nutrient absorption occur. It consists of three sections: duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.

Duodenumis the first section of the small intestine, located between the stomach and the jejunum. It plays a critical role in the digestion of food by receiving secretions from the pancreas and liver.

Pancreatic Duct

A primary duct traversing the pancreas that delivers pancreatic juice to the duodenum alongside the bile duct.

Hepatopancreatic Sphincter

A circular muscular sphincter that regulates the entry of bile and pancreatic secretions into the duodenum.

Liver

The body's largest internal organ, located in the right upper abdominal quadrant, responsible for numerous metabolic functions and the continuous secretion of bile.

Right Lobe of the Liver

The largest anatomical lobe of the liver.

Left Lobe of the Liver

The smaller anatomical lobe of the liver separated anteriorly from the right lobe by the falciform ligament.

Hepatic Portral Vein

Gallbladder

A pear-shaped muscular sac on the inferior liver surface that stores and concentrates bile between meals.

Common Hepatic Duct

The duct formed by the union of the right and left hepatic ducts emerging from the liver.

Bile Duct (Common Bile Duct)

The duct formed by the joining of the cystic duct and common hepatic duct that carries bile to the duodenum.

Mesentery

A fan-shaped, double-layered fold of peritoneum that suspends the jejunum and ileum from the posterior abdominal wall and transmits vessels and nerves.

Duodenum

The shortest ($25\,\text{cm}$), most fixed C-shaped proximal segment of the small intestine that receives chyme from the stomach.

Jejunum

The middle section of the small intestine, comprising the proximal two-fifths ($2.2 - 2.4\,\text{m}$) with a wider lumen and high absorptive activity.

Ileum

The distal three-fifths of the small intestine ($3.3 - 3.6\,\text{m}$) terminating at the ileocecal junction.

Cecum

A blind pouch in the lower right abdomen representing the start of the large intestine, from which the appendix projects.

Vermiform Appendix

A narrow, worm-like tube containing lymphatic tissue that extends downward from the cecum.

Ileocecal Junction

The site of connection between the distal ileum and the cecum guarded by a muscular sphincter.

Ascending Colon

The portion of the large intestine extending superiorly along the right abdominal wall to the liver.

Transverse Colon

The longest and most mobile segment of the colon, crossing horizontally across the abdominal cavity.

Descending Colon

The portion of the large intestine that courses downward along the left abdominal wall to the pelvic brim.

Haustra

Series of pouches or sacculations in the wall of the large intestine produced by tension of the taenia coli.

Rectum

The straight pelvic continuation of the large intestine lying anterior to the sacrum that stores feces prior to defecation.

Anal Canal

The terminal portion of the large intestine through which feces passes to exit the body via the anus.