(#2) Digestive System: Structure & Function

Tongue

Tongue

• Moves food around the mouth

• Helps swallow (forms bolus)

• Breaks food by squishing it against hard palate

Teeth

Meant to break food into small pieces (Types differ between carnivores, omnivores, and herbivores)

Uvula

• Triggers gag reflex (touched when not eating)

• Swings up and back to seal nasal cavity when swallowing

Salivary Glands

• Makes/secretes saliva

• Lubricates digestive track

Epiglottis

Closes in an up & over movement in to block trachea when swallowing

Pharynx

Enables breathing through nose and mouth. It is the space that connects your nasal cavity and oral cavity

Esophagus

Carries bolus from pharynx to stomach (2 layer of muscle; Longitudinal muscle, and rings of muscle)

Sphincters

A ring of muscle (valve) that controls the flow of substances along digestive track via muscle contractions

Stomach

Breaks down food physically (Peristalsis), and chemically (acid and enzymes)

Small Intestine

• Breaks down food (many enzymes)

• Does most of bodies nutrient absorption

• HCL from stomach is neutralized here

Large Intestine

• Regulates consistency of feces by absorbing/adding water or salt

• Moves feces towards the rectum

• Absorbs Vitamin K

Rectum

• Last 6(ish) inches of large intestine

• Compacts and stores feces

Colon

The part of large intestine that is NOT the rectum

Appendix

Stores good bacteria to repopulate the large intestine

Anal sphincter

Controls when feces exit the body

Liver

• Filters the blood, removing and processing toxins (e.g. drugs, alcohol)

• Makes and secretes bile

Gallbladder

• Connects liver to small intestine

• Stores bile

Pancreas

• Makes digestive enzymes (Lipase, Protease, Pancreatic amylase)

• Connected to small intestine

• Makes Sodium Bicarbonate to neutralize stomach HCL

Proteins when digested become

Polypeptides → Amino Acids

Carbs when digested become

(Starches) → Polysaccharides → Monosaccharides

Fats when digested become

(Lipids) → Fatty acids + Glycerol

What is absorbed by the Small intestine?

• Carbs

• Fats

• Minerals

• Proteins

• Vitamins

3 Enzymes released by Pancreas

• Pancreatic Amylase

• Lipase

• Protease

Pancreatic amylase digests

Sugars (Carbs)

4 types of tissue

• Muscle tissue

• Soft tissue

• Gland tissue

• Bones