Digestion Flashcards
Digestion
The breakdown of large molecules in the food into smaller molecules
Mouth
Ingestion of food, mechanical digestion by chewing, mixing with saliva containing amylase that starts starch digestion
Oesophagus
Movement of food by peristalsis from mouth to stomach
Stomach
Churning and mixing with water and HCl which kills pathogens in the food, initial stages of protein digestion
Small intestine
Digestion of lipids, carbohydrates, proteins and nucleic acids, absorption of nutrients, neutralisation of stomach acid. In the first part of the small intestine the secreted bile neutralises the acid and emulsifies lipids. Pancreatic enzymes are also secreted to digest the macromolecules. In the second part, digestion into monomers is completed and nutrients are absorbed through the villi.
Pancreas
Secretion of the enzymes lipase, amylase and endopeptidase
Liver
Produces bile with surfactants to emulsify lipids
Gall bladder
Storage and regulated release of bile
Large intestine
Re-absorption of water, formation and storage of faeces. Faeces are stored in the rectum
Anus
Egestion of faeces
Structure of small intestine wall
The inside space is the lumen
The wall of the gut is made of layers of specialised tissues (going outwards):
-epithelium of mucosa
-mucosa
-circular muscle
-longitudinal muscle
What increases the surface area of the epithelium of the mucosa?
Villi
Peristalsis
Waves of muscle contraction
Describe peristalsis
Contraction of the circular muscle behind the food constricts the gut to prevent food from being pushed back towards the mouth. Contraction of longitudinal muscle where the food is located moves it along the gut. Peristalsis only occurs in one direction.
Why is cellulose undigested?
Humans do not have the enzyme cellulase needed
Pancreatic juice
It is secreted from the pancreatic duct:
lipase, amylase and endopeptidase
Bile
Released by the gall bladder into the lumen. Emulsifies lipids thus increasing the SA for lipase to act. Neutralises the acid for pancreatic enzymes to work.
Enzymes in the wall of the small intestine
The wall of the small intestine produces enzymes and most of these enzymes are immobilised in the membrane of epithelial cells. This includes maltase, dextrinase, lactase and nucleases
Absorption
The process of taking substances into cells and the blood