Digestive and Respiratory Systems Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering the structures and functions of the human digestive and respiratory systems as presented in the lecture notes.

Salivary glands

Glands that produce saliva to moisten food and salivary amylase to start the chemical breakdown of carbohydrates.

Mouth

The structure where mechanical digestion begins (chewing) and chemical digestion of carbohydrates begins.

Pharynx

The throat section that connects the mouth to the esophagus and routes air to the trachea.

Esophagus

The organ through which peristalsis pushes food to the stomach.

Liver

An organ that produces bile salts which emulsify lipids, aiding their digestion and absorption.

Gallbladder

An organ that stores and releases bile.

Stomach

An organ whose mechanical digestion includes peristaltic mixing and propulsion, performs chemical digestion of proteins and fats, and absorbs lipid-soluble substances such as alcohol.

Pancreas

An organ that produces and releases digestive enzymes and bicarbonate into the small intestine.

Large intestine

An organ whose mechanical digestion includes segmental mixing and propulsion, has no chemical digestion (except by bacteria), and absorbs ions, water, minerals, vitamins, and organic molecules.

Small intestine

An organ whose mechanical digestion includes mixing and propulsion primarily by segmentation, carries out chemical digestion of carbohydrates, fats, polypeptides, and nucleic acids, and absorbs peptides, amino acids, glucose, fructose, fats, water, minerals, and vitamins.

Alveoli

Structures located at the end of smaller bronchial tubes in the lungs where oxygen is transferred into the blood and $CO_2$ is removed.