Accessory Organs of the Digestive System

Flashcards reviewing the definitions, types, functions, and locations of the accessory organs of the human digestive system.

What are the four accessory organs of the digestive system listed in the transcript?

Salivary Gland, Liver, Gallbladder, and Pancreas

What are accessory organs in the digestive system?

Organs that secrete substances needed for the chemical digestion of food but through which food does not actually pass as it is digested.

What type of glands are salivary glands and what do they produce?

They are exocrine glands which produce a digestive fluid called saliva.

What enzyme does saliva contain and what is its function?

Saliva contains salivary amylase, which is the enzyme that breaks down starch into smaller carbohydrate.

What are the three divisions of salivary glands?

Sublingual glands, Submandibular glands, and Parotid glands.

What are the characteristics and location of the sublingual glands?

It is the smallest of the major salivary glands and is located in the floor of the mouth.

What are the characteristics of the submandibular glands?

It is the second largest of the major salivary glands and, like all three major salivary glands, it is a paired gland.

What are the characteristics and exact anatomical location of the parotid glands?

It is the largest of the major salivary glands and sits bilaterally in between the ramus of the mandible and the sternocleidomastoid muscle.

What is the liver and what does it produce for digestion?

The liver is the largest solid organ in the body. It produces bile, a green fluid that turns large fat droplets into smaller ones and stores them in the gall bladder.

What is the gallbladder and how much bile can it hold?

The gallbladder is a small pear-shaped sac that can hold about 50ml of bile.

Where is the pancreas located?

The pancreas is a small organ found below the stomach.