Structures of the Alimentary Canal

These flashcards cover the structures associated with the mouth, pharynx, alimentary canal, and various glands and their functions.

What is the space behind the lips and anterior to the pharynx called?

Oral (buccal) cavity

What are the four types of teeth?

Incisors, canines (cuspids), premolars (bicuspids), and molars (tricuspids)

What connects the tongue to the floor of the oral cavity?

Frenulum

What is the function of the uvula?

It hangs from the soft palate and helps to prevent food from entering the nasal cavity during swallowing.

What are the largest pairs of salivary glands located near the ears?

Parotid glands

Where do the submandibular glands secrete saliva?

Under the tongue on either side of the frenulum.

What is the area of the alimentary canal that extends from the posterior nasal cavity to the esophagus?

Pharynx

What are the three regions of the pharynx?

Nasopharynx, oropharynx, and laryngopharynx.

What is the role of the epiglottis during swallowing?

It covers the opening between the laryngopharynx and the larynx.

What are the four layers of the alimentary canal?

Mucosa, submucosa, muscularis, and serosa/adventitia.

What is the function of the ileocecal valve?

It controls the passage of materials from the small to large intestine.

What are plicae circulares?

Folds in the mucosa and submucosa of the small intestine that increase internal surface area.

What are villi?

Projections of the mucosa into the lumen of the small intestine that increase surface area.

What is Peyer's patches?

Groups of lymph nodules in the mucosa, most numerous in the ileum.

What is the function of the major duodenal papilla?

It is the opening where the common bile duct and pancreatic ducts enter the duodenum.

What is the pyloric valve's role?

It controls the passage of material between the stomach and small intestine.

What are gastric glands?

Tubular indentations within the gastric mucosa formed by goblet, chief, and parietal cells.

What is the function of the esophagus?

It is a smooth muscle lined organ that transports food from the laryngopharynx to the stomach.

What are the major sections of the large intestine?

Cecum, colon (ascending, transverse, descending, and sigmoid), rectum, and anus.

What is the function of the gallbladder?

It stores bile.

What do the right and left hepatic ducts do?

They carry bile out of the liver and converge to form the common hepatic duct.

What comprised the visceral peritoneum?

It is the part of the peritoneum covering most organs in the abdominal cavity.

What is the role of the greater omentum?

It is attached to the greater curvature of the stomach and draped over the anterior surface of the transverse colon and small intestine, containing large amounts of adipose tissue.