Digestive System Flashcards
Mouth
INGESTION
- mechanical (teeth + tongue)
- chemical (digestive enzymes ex. saliva; water + amylase)
Epiglottis
- flap-like structure
- located at the back of throat in the Pharynx
- closes over trachea; prevents food from entering
Esophagus
MOVEMENT
- 20 cm long muscular tube connecting mouth to stomach
- secretes mucus
- moves food from throat to stomach using peristalsis (muscles contracting and relaxing)
- where you feel heartburn
Stomach
DIGESTION
- physical; holds food and churns it
- chemical; mixes food with digestive juices and HCl (contains enzymes) to break down protein and lipids and kills bacteria
- food in stomach = CHYME
Pancreas
ACCESSORY
- produces insulin; helps regulate the concentration of glucose (sugars) in the blood
- produces digestive enzymes to digest fats, carbs and proteins
Duodenum
1 - food is digested using enzymes from pancreas and gallbladder
Jejunum
2 - majority of the absorption of food into the bloodstream
Ileum
3 - absorbs bile and B12
Liver
ACCESSORY
- produces a liquid called bile
- breaks down fat
- FILTER; poisons, toxins, drugs, waste, alcohol, etc.
Large intestine
ABSORPTION
- 1.5 m long but wider than small intestine
- takes the leftovers (excess water, etc.)
- remaining solid matter is poop
- Bacterial digestion (ferment carbs), absorbs more water, concentrates wastes
Anus
ELIMINATION
- waste is stored in the rectum
- lining in upper anus determines the state of matter
- the sphincter controls the movement of the feces (circular muscle)
Salivary glands
- parotid gland
- sublingual gland
- submandibular gland
Peristalsis
- movement of muscles in the esophagus contracting and relaxing to transport food to the stomach
Enzymes
CATALYST
- proteins that SPEED UP chemical reactions in our bodies, namely digestion
