Crown: The part of the tooth visible above the gums, covered by enamel, which is the hardest substance in the human body.
Root: The part of the tooth located below the gums, anchoring the tooth in the jawbone, typically covered by cementum.
Oral Cavity
Gums: The soft tissue encasing the teeth, providing a seal around them and supporting tooth roots.
Tongue: A muscular organ in the mouth essential for tasting, swallowing, and speaking; it is covered with taste buds.
Lips: External boundaries of the mouth, aiding in speech and the prevention of food loss.
Hard Palate: The bony top part of the mouth that separates the oral cavity from the nasal cavity.
Soft Palate: The soft tissue at the back of the roof of the mouth, which helps close off the nasal passages during swallowing.
Uvula: A small fleshy extension at the back of the soft palate that plays a role in speech and the gag reflex.
Esophagus
A muscular tube connecting the throat (pharynx) with the stomach, facilitating the passage of food via peristaltic movement.
Liver and Gallbladder Anatomy
Liver: Key organ for metabolism and detoxification, producing bile essential for digestion and processing nutrients from food.
Gallbladder: A small organ that stores and concentrates bile produced by the liver, releasing it into the duodenum to aid in fat digestion.
Ducts:
Hepatic Duct: Carries bile from the liver to the gallbladder.
Cystic Duct: Leads from the gallbladder to the common bile duct.
Common Bile Duct: Merges with the pancreatic duct and enters the duodenum, responsible for delivering bile and pancreatic juice to aid digestion.
Sphincters in Digestive Tract
Pyloric Sphincter: Regulates the passage of food from the stomach to the duodenum, preventing backflow.
Cardiac Sphincter: Where the esophagus enters the stomach, preventing reflux of stomach contents.
Ileocecal Valve: Controls the flow from the small intestine (ileum) to the large intestine (cecum), preventing backflow.
Small Intestine
Duodenum: The first section of the small intestine, where digestion from the stomach continues with contributions from pancreatic enzymes and bile.
Ducts in the Duodenum:
The bile duct and pancreatic duct connect here, allowing the secretion of bile and enzymes necessary for digestion to enter the intestinal lumen.
Large Intestine
Regions:
Cecum: Beginning of the large intestine; absorbs fluids and salts that remain after digestion.
Ascending Colon: First part of the colon, going upward on the right side of the abdomen.
Transverse Colon: Crosses the abdomen from right to left, playing a role in the absorption of water and salts.
Descending Colon: Moves downward on the left side, leading to the sigmoid colon.
Sigmoid Colon: S-shaped section before the rectum, where feces are stored before elimination.
Rectum: Final segment before the anus, acting as a temporary storage site for feces.
Anus: The opening at the end of the digestive tract through which feces is expelled.
Features:
Hepatic Flexure: Bend between the ascending and transverse colon, an important anatomical landmark.
Splenic Flexure: Bend between the transverse and descending colon, named for its proximity to the spleen.
Epiploic Appendages: Pouches of fat along the colon that may serve to reduce friction during digestive movements.
Pancreas
Regions:
Head: The wider end near the duodenum, where digestive enzymes are produced.
Body: The central part of the pancreas where insulin and glucagon are produced.
Tail: The narrow end of the pancreas that extends towards the spleen.
Ducts:
Pancreatic Duct: Main duct transporting digestive enzymes to the duodenum, critical for digestion.
Accessory Duct: Smaller duct branching off that aids in enzyme delivery.
Digestive Model Considerations
Models will cover anatomical structures such as the gastric regions: cardiac, fundus, body, pyloric region, and associated curvatures (greater and lesser).
Endocrine System
Study content will emphasize identifying glands, hormones they secrete, and the actions of those hormones.
Thyroid gland Hormones:
Responsible for regulating metabolism and lowering serum calcium levels through the secretion of thyroid hormones.
Practice and Revision Tips:
Focus on identifying structures by their region and functions during practical exams.
Familiarize with models and diagrams for visual understanding of the anatomy, and engage in self-testing to