Digestive System

Question 1

What is the point of digestion?

Answer 1

to break down food molecules, so they can get through the cells of the gut wall, and into the blood vessels, where they can then get to all cells of the body to provide energy (by breaking the bonds) , and raw materials (the broken molecule ’bits’, for the cells go grow and repair, and do their ‘jobs’)

Question 2

What’s the difference between digestion and absorption?

Answer 2

Digestion- breaking down
Absorption- getting across the gut wall into blood vessels

Question 3

How many layers does the gastro-intestinal tract have, from mouth to anus?

Answer 3

4

Question 4

What are the tonsils?

Answer 4

Collections of white blood cells involved in defence/immune system tasks

Question 5

What are the names of the 3 salivary glands ?

Answer 5

Parotid
Sub mandibular
Sub lingual

Question 6

What is the enteric nervous system?

Answer 6

The brain of the gut

Question 7

What is the epiglottis?

Answer 7

A flap of skin that covers the trachea when swallowing, which stops food from going down the airways

Question 8

Why is the oesophagus lined with mucus cells and stratified squamous epithelium?

Answer 8

Mucus lubricates food going down
Stratified squamous because surface cells continually worn off by friction from passage of food

Question 9

What causes heartburn?

Answer 9

If oesophageal sphincter into stomach can’t close properly, stomach acids can leak up into oesophagus and burns the oesophagus

Question 10

What is a hiatus hernia?

Answer 10

When the stomach pushes up through the diaphragm

Question 11

What are the two sphincters that control entry to and exit from the stomach called?

Answer 11

Oesophageal and pyloric sphincters

Question 12

What sort of molecules does the stomach mainly digest?

Answer 12

Proteins

Question 13

What protects the stomach from the acid it secretes?

Answer 13

Mucus secretions

Question 14

What is the most common cause of an ulcer?

Answer 14

Helicobacter pylori bacteria dissolving the mucus and exposing the stomach wall to acid

Question 15

Why are there a lot of white blood cells in the stomach?

Answer 15

Bacteria and other pathogens can get in via food etc

Question 16

State 4 important functions of the small intestine

Answer 16

Finish protein and carbohydrate digestion
Water absorption
Start & finish fat digestion
Absorb products of digestion

Question 17

How are the digestive system and the blood system linked by Intrinsic Factor?

Answer 17

Intrinsic Factor is a molecule produced by stomach cells that is needed for Vitamin B12 absorption from the stomach and vitamin B12 is essential for red blood cell formation

Question 18

Where are bile salts made and what do they do?

Answer 18

Bile salts are made in the liver. They emulsify fats.

Question 19

Which 4 vitamins are absorbed with fats through the lymph system?

Answer 19

Vitamins A, D, E, and K

Question 20

State 4 functions of the liver

Answer 20

Makes bile
Forms non-toxic urea from waste products
Modifies products of digestion
Detoxifies proteins
Makes plasma protein
Makes blood clotting enzyme fibrinogen

Question 21

What is the hepatic portal system?

Answer 21

a system of veins that delivers blood with products of digestion to the liver

Question 22

How many enzymes does the pancreas secrete to digest proteins, carbohydrates and lipids, and which two hormones does the pancreas also secrete?

Answer 22

The pancreas secretes 15 enzymes for digestions.
It also secretes the hormones insulin and glucagon.

Question 23

What does the gall bladder do?

Answer 23

The gallbladder stores and secretes bile

Question 24

What is cirrhosis of the liver?

Answer 24

Scarring caused by inflammation

Question 25

What are the 2 main jobs of the large intestine?

Answer 25

Remove (reclaim) water and salts

Question 26

What are haemorrhoids?

Answer 26

Swollen veins in the wall of the rectum or anus