Animal Nutrition Vocab

Nutrition

The process by which an organism takes in and makes use of food substances

Essential Nutrients

A substance that an organism cannot synthesize from any other material and therefore must absorb in preassembles form

Amino Acid

Organic molecule that is the building block of proteins

Essential amino acid

An amino acid that an animal cannot synthesize itself and must be obtained from food in prefabricated form

Complete protein

Foods that provide all essential nutrients (meat, milk, eggs)

Incomplete protein

Foods that supply one or more essential amino acids, but are deficient in at least one (vegetables)

Fatty acids

required to synthesize many cellular components (fats, oils, and cholesterol)

Vitamin

organic compound the body is unable to produce, but requires in small amounts

Mineral

Inorganic compounds that the body is unable to produce, but requires in small amounts

Herbivore

an animal that mainly eats plants or algae

Carnivore

An organism that consumes animal for nutrition

Omnivore

An animal that regularly eats animals as well as plants or algae

Ingestion

The act of eating

Digestion

The breaking down of food into molecules small enough for the body to absorb

Absorption

The uptake of small nutrient molecules by an organism’s body

Elimination

The passing of undigested material out of the body

Gastrovascular cavity

An incomplete digestive tract found in some animals. Includes a single opening and a digestive pouch

Alimentary canal

Complete digestive tract. A long tube that begins with oral openings, ends in anus

Esophagus

A muscular tube that conducts food, by peristalsis, from the pharynx to the stomach

Peristalsis

Alternating waves of contraction and relaxation in the smooth muscles lining the alimentary canal that push food along the canal

Sphincter

A ringlike band of muscle fibers that controls the size of an opening in the body

Stomach

An organ of the digestive system that stores food and performs preliminary steps of digestion

Gastric juices

Digestive fluid secreted by stomach

Hydrochloric acid

Strong acid (pH 2) that denatures proteins

Pepsin

a protein digesting enzyme that is adapted to and acidic environment and further breaks down proteins

Chyme

Partially digested food and digestive juices

Small intestine

The longest section of the alimentary canal. The principal site of the hydrolysis of food macromolecules and the absorption of nutrients

Duodenum

The first section of the small intestine

Villi

A finger-like projection of the inner surface of the small intestine

Microvilli

Small projections on the epithelial cells in the lumen of the small intestine that increases its surface area

Large intestine

The portion of the alimentary canal between the small intestine and the anus that absorbs water and forms feces

Cecum

Small pouch in large intestine where undigested materials are processed, and water is absorbed

Appendix

A small, finger-like extension of the vertebrate cecum that acts as a reservoir for symbiotic organisms

Colon

Largest section of the large intestine that transports feces to rectum

Rectum

Terminal portion of large intestine where feces is stored

Microbiome

The collection of microorganisms living in or on an organism’s body