Untitled Flashcards Set

Digestion

The process of transforming food into basic nutrients that can be absorbed and used by the body.

Peristalsis

Involuntary muscle contractions that move food along the digestive tract.

Chyme

The watery mixture of food particles mixed with stomach acids and enzymes.

Enzymes

Proteins that catalyze chemical reactions, aiding in the breakdown of food.

Absorption

The process of moving nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract into the blood or lymph system.

Active transport

A process that requires energy to move substances against their concentration gradient.

Passive diffusion

The movement of substances across a cell membrane without the use of energy.

Facilitated diffusion

The process that requires a special protein carrier to help substances cross a cell membrane, without needing energy.

Intrinsic factor

A glycoprotein produced in the stomach necessary for the absorption of vitamin B-12.

Bile

A substance produced by the liver that helps emulsify fats in the small intestine.

Probiotics

Foods that contain live bacteria, beneficial for gut health.

Prebiotics

Substances that stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria in the large intestine.

Salivary amylase

An enzyme in saliva that breaks down starches.

Lingual lipase

An enzyme that begins to digest fats in the mouth.

Feces

The semi-solid mass of waste produced in the large intestine.

Gallbladder

An organ that stores bile until it is needed in the small intestine.

Glucagon

A hormone released by the pancreas that helps regulate glucose levels in the blood.

Insulin

A hormone released by the pancreas that helps lower blood glucose levels.

Mucosa

The inner-most layer of the gastrointestinal tract made up of absorptive cells.

Villi

Finger-like projections in the small intestine that increase the absorptive surface area.

Sphincter muscle

A circular muscle that controls the flow of food between different sections of the gastrointestinal tract.