Vocab (eng)

absorption

Passage of materials through the walls of the small intestine into the bloodstream.

amino acids

Small building blocks of proteins (like links in a chain), released when proteins are digested.

amylase

Enzyme (-ase) secreted by the pancreas and salivary glands to digest starch (amyl/o).

anus

Terminal end or opening of the digestive tract to the outside of the body

appendix

A small bag of tissue that is attached to the large intestine.

bile

Digestive juice made in the liver and stored in the gallbladder.

bilirubin

Pigment released by the liver in bile.

bowel

Intestine

cecum

First part of the large intestine.

colon

Portion of the large intestine consisting of the ascending, transverse, descending, and sigmoid segments.

defecation

Elimination of feces from the digestive tract through the anus.

deglutition

Swallowing

digestion

Breakdown of complex foods to simpler forms

duodenum

First part of the small intestine.

elimination

Act of removal of materials from the body.

enzyme

Chemical that speeds up a reaction between substances. It is often given names that end in -ase.

esophagus

Tube connecting the throat to the stomach.

fatty acids

Substances produced when fats are digested.

feces

Solid wastes; stool.

gallbladder

Small sac under the liver; stores bile.

glucose

Simpler sugar.

ileum

Third part of the small intestine.

insulin

Hormone produced by the endocrine cells of the pancreas.

jejunum

Second part of the small intestine.

lipase

Pancreatic enzyme necessary to digest fats.

liver

A large organ in the body that cleans the blood and produces bile.

lower esophageal sphincter (LEÉ)

Ring of muscles between the esophagus and the stomach. Also called cardiac sphincter.

pancreas

An organ near the stomach that produces insulin and a liquid that helps the body to digest food.

peristalsis

Rhythmic contractions of the tubular organs.

pharynx

Throat, the common passageway for food from the mouth and for air from the nose.

protease

Enzyme that digests protein.

pyloric sphincter

Ring of muscle at the end of the stomach, near the duodenum

pylorus

Distal region of the stomach, opening to the duodenum.

rectum

Last section of the large intestine, connecting the end of the colon and the anus.

saliva

Digestive juice produced by salivary glands. It contains the enzyme amylase, which begins the digestion of starch to sugar.

sigmoid colon

Fourth and last, S-shaped segment of the colon, just before the rectum.

sphincter

Circular ring of muscle that constricts a passage or closes a natural opening.

stomach

A muscular organ that receives food from the esophagus.

triglycerides

Fat molecules composed of three parts fatty acids and one part glycerol.

villi (singular: villus)

Microscopic projections in the wall of the small intestine that absorb nutrients into the bloodstream.