Chapter 24: The Digestive System Flashcards
List the accessory digestive organs
teeth tongue salivary glands liver gallbladder pancreas
What are the 6 basic functions of the digestive system?
Ingestion - taking food into mouth
Secretion - release of water, acid, buffers, and enzymes into lumen of GI tract
Mixing & propulsion - churning and movement
Digestion - mechanical and chemical breakdown
Absorption - passage of digested products from GI tract into blood and lymph
Defecation - elimination of faces
Define motility
Capacity of GI tract to mix and move material along its length
What is the difference between mechanical and chemical digestion?
Mechanical - teeth cut and grind food, smooth muscles churn the food
Chemical - large carbs, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acid molecules are split into smaller molecules by hydrolysis
List the 4 layers of the GI tract from deep to superficial
Mucosa
Submuscosa
Muscular
Serosa/adventita
Describe the 3 layers of the mucosa tissue
- Epithelium - in direct contact with the contents of the of GI tract; are sloughed off every 5-7 days and have exocrine glands (release secretions) and enteroendocrine cells (secrete hormones)
- Lamina propria is areolar connective tissues containing many blood and lymphatic vessels, which are the routes by which nutrients are absorbed; containing the majority of mucosa-associated lymphatic tissue (MALT) that contain immune cells that protect against disease
- Muscular mucosal - thin layer of smooth muscles that throws the mucous membrane of stomach and small I into many small folds, increasing the SA
Describe the submucosa
Areolar connective tissue that binds mucous to the muscularis
Located in the submucosa is the submucosa plexus which is an extensive network of neurons
Describe the muscularis layer
In the mouth, pharynx, and superior and middle esophagus (and anal sphincter) the muscularis contains skeletal muscle that produces voluntary swallowing (and defecation)
Throughout the rest is smooth muscle that allows for involuntary contracts to help bread down food and proper it along the GI tract
`Describe function of the serosa layer
The most superficial layer which is a serous membrane composed of areolar connective tissue and simple squamous epithelium
aka the visceral peritoneum because it forms a portion of the peritoneum
Which part of a GI tract does not have a serosa layer?
The esophagus
Has only a single layer of areolar connective tissue called the adventitia
Describe the two plexuses of the enteric nervous system
Myenteric plexus - located between the longitudinal and circual smooth muscle layers of muscularis; mostly controls GI tract motility particularly strength of contraction of muscularis
Submucosal plexus - found within the submucosa; controls the secretions of the organs that supply the GI tract
How is the enteric nervous system regulated by the autonomic nervous system?
The vagus nerve (X) supply parasympathetic fibers to most parts of the GI tract, except the last half of large I which is supplied by the sacral spinal cord
Stimulation of the parasympathetic nerves that innervate the GI tract causes an increase in GI secretion and motility by increasing the activity of ENS neurons
Sympathetic nerves that supply the GI arise from the thoracic and upper lumbar regions of spinal cord and in general cause a decrease in GI secretion and motility by inhibiting activity of ENS neurons
What is a gastrointestinal reflex pathway?
Initial components are sensory receptors (chemoreceptors and baroreceptors) that are associated with the sensory neurons of ENS
They synapse with other neurons located in the ENS, CNS, or ANS and subsequently activate or inhibit GI glands and smooth muscle, altering GI secretions and motility
Describe the peritoneum and its subdivisions
Peritoneum is the largest serous membrane that consists of a layer of simple squamous epithelium with underlying supporting layer of connective tissue
Describe the peritoneum and its subdivisions
Peritoneum is the largest serous membrane that consists of a layer of simple squamous epithelium with underlying supporting layer of connective tissue
Divided into the parietal peritoneum which lines the wall of the abdominal cavity and the visceral peritoneum which covers some of the organs in the cavity and is their serosa
Between these two subdivisions is the peritoneal cavity
What does it mean when organs are retroperitoneal?
They lie on the posterior abdominal wall and are covered by peritoneum only on their anterior surfaces; they are no in the peritoneal cavity
List and describe the 5 major peritoneal folds
Greater omentum - largest folds, drapes over transverse colon and coils with small intestine; double layer that folds back on itself giving a total of 4 layers; comprised of a lot of adipose tissue
Falciform ligament - attaches liver to anterior wall and diagrpham
Lesser omentum - arises as anterior fold in the serosa of the stomach and duodenum to the liver; pathway for blood vessels eating the liver and contains hepatic portal vein
Mesentery - fan-shaped fold of peritoneum that binds the jejunum and ileum of small intestine to the posterior abdo wall
Mesocolon - binds transverse colon and sigmoid colon of large I to the posterior abdo wall ; carries blood and lymphatic vessels to intestines
What structures form the mouth?
Cheeks - covered internally by a mucous membrane, forms the lateral walls
Hard palate - (bony) forms most of the roof of the mouth, formed by maxillae and palatine bones
Soft palate (muscular) forms the rest of the roof of the mouth
Tongue
The inner surface of the lips are attached to a gum by a midline fold of mucous membrane called _______
labial frenulum
Describe the following components of the mouth: oral vestibule, oral cavity proper, fauces
Oral vestibule - the space bounded externally by the cheeks and lips and internally by the gums and teeth
Oral cavity proper - the space that extends from the gums and teeth to the faces, the opening between the oral cavity and the oropharynx
Describe the function of the uvula during swallowing
It is drawn superiorly, closing off the nasopharynx and preventing swallowed food and liquids from entering the nasal cavity
Define salivary glands and discuss 3 pairs of major salivary glands and their associated ducts
A salivary gland is a gland that release a secretion called saliva into the oral cavity - the major salivary glands lie beyond the oral mucosa, into ducts that lead into the oral cavity
Parotid glands - located inferior and anterior to the ears, between the skin and the masseter muscle; secrete into cavity via parotid duct that pierces the buccinator muscle to open into the vestibule opposite the 2nd maxillary molar tooth
Submandibular glands - found in floor of mouth, medial and partly inferior to the body of the mandible; submandibular ducts run under the mucosa on either side of the midline of the floor of the mouth after enter cavity proper lateral to lingual frenulum
Sublingual glands - beneath the tongue and superior to the submandibular glands; the lesser sublingual ducts open into the floor of the mouth in the oral cavity proper
Differentiate between the saliva secretions from each gland
Parotid - watery (serous) liquid containing salivary amylase
Submandibular - thickened mucous with salivary amylase
Sublingual - a much thicker fluid that only has small amount of salivary amylase
Salivary amylase is an enzyme that starts the breakdown of starch in the mouth into maltose, malotrisose, and a-dextrin
How is salivation controlled by the ANS?
Parasympathetic stimulation promotes continuous secretion and sympathetic stimulations decreases salivation causing dry mouth (during stress)
Describe the structure and function extrinsic muscles and intrinsic muscles of the tongue
Extrinsic mucles - originate outside the tongue (attach to bones in the area) and insert into connective tissues of the tongue and include the hypoglossus, genioglossus, and styloglossus muscles that move the tongue side to side and in and out
Intrinsic muscles - originate in and insert into connective tissue within the tongue; alter the shape and side of tongue for speech and swallowing and include the longitudinalis superior, longitudinalis inferior, transversus linguae, and verticalis linguae muscles
What is the lingual frenulum
A fold of mucous membrane in the midline of the undersurface of the tongue that is attached to the floor of the mouth and aids in limiting the movement of the tongue posteriorly
What are lingual glands?
They are glands in the lamina proprietor of the tongue that secrete both mucous and a watery fluid that contains the enzyme lingual lipase which acts on as much as 30% of dietary triglycerides and coverts them to simply fatty acids
Teeth are anchored in sockets of the alveolar processes of the mandible and maxillae. Discuss the following components of teeth:
Gingivae Periodontal ligament Dentin Enamel Cementum
Gingivae - gums
Periodontal ligament - dense fibrous connective tissue that anchors the teeth to the socket walls and acts as a shock absorber during chewing
Dentin - calcified connective tissue that gives the tooth its basic shape and rigidity
Enamel - primarily calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate which covers the dentin of the crown; hardest substance in the body
Cementum - bonelike subance which covers the dentin of the root and attaches root to periodontal ligament
What are the 3 major external regions of a tooth?
Crown - visible portion Avon the levels of the gym
Root(s) - embedded in the socket are 1-3 roots
Neck - constricted junction of the crown and root near the gum line
What is the pulp cavity in the tooth?
A space enclosed by dentin that is filled with pulp, a connective tissue containing blood vessels, nerves, and lymphatic vessels
Root canals, narrow extensions of the pulp cavity, run though the root of the tooth; each has an opening at its base called the apical foramen, through which blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and nerves enter a tooth
What are the two dentitions of teeth?
Deciduous - first set aka primary teeth that begin to erupt at about 6m (20 teeth)
Permanent - deciduous teeth are replaced by permanent teeth between 6-12 years (32 teeth)
What functions fo the incisors, cuspids, premolars and molars perform?
Incisors - closest to the midline (central or lateral) and are chisel-shaped and adapted for cutting into food
Cuspids (aka canine) have a pointed surface called a cusp that are used to tear snd shred food
Premolars replace deciduous molars and each has 2 cusps crush and grind food to prepare it for swallowing
Molars do not replace any teeth and erupt in 3 waves; the first (6years), second (12 years), and third permanent molars (wisdom teeth ~17 years)
Describe the mechanical and chemical digestion processes that occur in the mouth
Mechanical digestion in the mouth results from mastication in which food is manipulated by tongue, ground by teeth, and mixed with saliva - food is reduced to a swallowable mass called a bolus
Salivary amylase and lingual lipase contributes to chemical digestion in the mouth
- salivary amylase imitates the breakdown of starch into monosaccharides, the only form that can absorbed by the blood stream
- lingual lipase (secreted by lingual glands in tongue) becomes activated in the acidic environment of the stomach and thus starts to work after food is swallowed; breaks down dietary triglycerides into fatty acids and diglyceries
Describe the function of pharynx in digestion
Both the oropharynx and laryngophrynx have digestive as well as respiratory functions
Food passes from mouth into oropharynx and laryngophrynx and the muscular contractions help propel food into esophagus and then into the stomach
Describe the location of the esophagus
Esophagus is a collapsible muscular tube that lies posterior to the trachea - beings at the inferior end of the laryngopharynz and enters the mediastinum anterior to the vertebral column
It pierces the diaphragm through an opening called the esophageal hiatus and ends in the stomach
Describe the histology of the esophagus
The mucosa of the esophagus cosnsits of a nonkeratinized squamous epithelium, lamina proprietor (connective tissue), and a muscular mucosa (skeletal - top 2/3; and smooth muscle - bottom)
At each end of the esophagus there is a sphincter: upper esophageal sphincter (UES) and lower esophageal sphincter (LES)
What are the functions of the upper and lower esophageal sphincters?
UES - consists of skeletal muscle, regulates the movement of food from the pharynx into esophagus
LES - consists of smooth muscle, reegulates the movement of food from the esophagus into the stomach
What is the superficial layer of the esophagus called?
Adventitia (rather than serosa) because the alveolar tissue is not covered by mesothelium and because the connective tissue merges with the connective tissue of surrounding structures of the mediastinum
The esophagus functions to produce digestive enzymes and carry on absorption
True or False
False
It secretes mucous and transports food into stomach