Digestive system Flashcards
what is the mouth function
food enters the alimentary canal. Converted to a bolus of food- produced by teeth, tongue and saliva during mastication- ready for swallowing
what is the salivary glands function
three pairs, produce saliva and pour it into the mouth through salivary ducts
what is the oesophagus function
muscular tube which helps food move to stomach by peristalsis
what is the liver function
produces bile, which helps to neutralise acidic chyme and also emulsifies fat. Important in assimilation
what is the gall bladder function
stores bile before pouring it into duodenum through the bile duct
what is the duodenum function
first part of the small intestine, where semi-liquid food is mixed with pancreatic juice and bile
what is the stomach function
muscular bag which stores food for a short time and mixes food with acidic digestive juices to form the creamy liquid in chyme
what is the pancreas function
produces pancreatic juice (contains enzymes, mucus and hydrogencarbonate which neutralises acidic chyme) which is poured into the small intestine through the pancreatic duct
what is the large intestine function
(wider than the small intestine) the colon is part of the large intestine. It reabsorbs water from gut contents also absorbs some vitamins and minerals
what is the Ileum function
longest part of the small intestine, where digested food is absorbed into the blood and lymphatic system
what is the rectum function
stores faeces before expelling them at a convenient time
what is the anus function
exit for faeces, defaecation is controlled by two and phincters. Constipation (the inability to expel the faeces) can result if there is not enough fiber in the diet. The faeces become too dry and hard to pass easily out of the rectum
what is the anus function
exit for faeces, defaecation is controlled by two and phincters. Constipation (the inability to expel the faeces) can result if there is not enough fiber in the diet. The faeces become too dry and hard to pass easily out of the rectum
what is the mouth responsible for
mechanical digestion and chemical digestion
what is mechanical digestion
making large food particles into smaller food particles which is done by the teeth and help of tongue
what is chemical digestion
salivary glands release saliva. Saliva contains enzyme amylase that breaks down starch into maltose. Saliva also serves to moisten and soften the food particles to make swallowing easier. Food particles swallowed are called bulus
what are the 4 types of teeth
incisors, canines, premolars, molars
what are incisors for
they are the front teeth and are used for cutting and biting
what are canines for
they are the vampire teeth. For holding and cutting
what are premolar and molars for
they are the flat teeth. for chewing and crushing
how is the tooth parted
the crown, the neck, the root
what is the enamel
the hardest tissue in the body. produced by tooth- forming cells and made of calcium salts. once formed, enamel can’t be renewed or extended
what is the dentine
forms the major part of the tooth. Harder than bone and made of calcium salts deposited on a framework of a collagen fibers. The dentine contains a series of fine canals which extend to the pulp cavity
what is the gum
usually covers the junction between enamel and cement. The gums recede with age
what is the pulp cavity
tooth- producing cells, blood vessels, nerve endings which can detect pain
what is the cement
similar in composition to dentine but without any canals. helps anchor tooth to jaw
what is the membrane
bundles of collagen fibers, anchoring the cement covering the tooth to the jaw bone. the tooth is held firmly but not rigidly. The membrane has many nerve endings which detect pressure during chewing and biting
what is the function of the oesophagus
to carry food (bolus) from mouth (pharynx) to the stomach
what is the function of the duodenum
part of the small intestine after the stomach that it connected to the pancreas and the bile duct
what is the function of the liver
produces bile, makes large lipid particles into smaller one. This increases their surface area .
what is the function of the gall bladder
stores and secretes the bile
what is the function of the small intestine
finishes chemical digestion, responsible for nutrient absorption
what are the adaptations of the small intestine for nutrient absorption
A) length- very long: more time to digest and absorb nutrients
B) folds and structures called villi to increase overall surface area
C) villus
what is the function of the large intestine
water absorption which solidifies waste
production of vitamin K from simbiotic gut bacteria
