Digestive System

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These flashcards cover essential vocabulary related to the digestive system, including key terms and their definitions.

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38 Terms

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Digestive System

Organ system that breaks down food, absorbs nutrients, and eliminates waste.

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Digestion

Mechanical and chemical breakdown of food into absorbable molecules.

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Mechanical Digestion

Physical breakdown of food (chewing, churning, segmentation).

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Chemical Digestion

Enzymatic breakdown of food into smaller molecules.

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Absorption

Process by which nutrients pass from the digestive tract into blood or lymph.

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Gastrointestinal (GI) Tract

Continuous muscular tube from mouth to anus.

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Accessory Digestive Organs

Organs that aid digestion but are not part of the GI tract (e.g., teeth, tongue, salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, pancreas).

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Peritoneum

Serous membrane lining the abdominal cavity and covering abdominal organs.

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Visceral Peritoneum

Membrane that covers abdominal organs.

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Peritoneal Cavity

Potential space between parietal and visceral peritoneum containing serous fluid.

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Retroperitoneal

Position behind the peritoneum; includes pancreas, kidneys, portions of intestines.

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Mucosa (Mucous Membrane)

Innermost layer of GI tract; involved in secretion and absorption.

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Muscularis Externa

Smooth muscle layer responsible for peristalsis and segmentation.

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Peristalsis

Wave-like muscular contractions that propel food through the GI tract.

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Segmentation

Mixing contractions that churn food in the small intestine.

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Sphincter

Ring of muscle that controls passage of material between GI regions.

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Salivary Amylase (Ptyalin)

Enzyme in saliva that begins starch digestion.

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Bolus

Mass of chewed food mixed with saliva.

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Deglutition (Swallowing)

Process of moving food from mouth to stomach.

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Chyme

Semifluid mixture of partially digested food and gastric juice.

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Gastric Juice

Acidic fluid containing HCl, pepsinogen, and intrinsic factor.

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Pepsinogen

Inactive enzyme precursor converted to pepsin by HCl.

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Intrinsic Factor

Glycoprotein necessary for vitamin B12 absorption in ileum.

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Bile

Yellow-green fluid produced by liver; emulsifies fats.

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Hepatic Portal System

Venous system carrying nutrient-rich blood from digestive organs to liver.

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Cirrhosis

Chronic liver disease characterized by scarring and loss of liver function.

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Probiotics

Beneficial live bacteria that support gut health.

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Insulin

Pancreatic hormone that lowers blood glucose by promoting cellular uptake and storage.

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Glucagon

Pancreatic hormone that raises blood glucose by promoting glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis.

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Parietal Peritoneum

lines abdominal wall

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Villi

Finger-like projections in the small intestine lining that increase surface area for absorption.

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Microvilli

Microscopic projections on the surface of absorptive cells that form the brush border.

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Duodenum

The first and shortest part of the small intestine; primary site of chemical digestion.

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Jejunum

The middle section of the small intestine, primarily involved in nutrient absorption.

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Ileum

The final and longest section of the small intestine, absorbing vitamin B12 and bile salts.

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Cholecystokinin (CCK)

A hormone that stimulates pancreatic enzyme release and gallbladder contraction.

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Brush Border Enzymes

Digestive enzymes located on the microvilli of the small intestinal cells.

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Colon

The main part of the large intestine, responsible for water absorption and forming feces.