Digestive System Flashcards
What is the alimentary canal (gastrointestinal tract)?
continuous open-ended hollow muscular tube tat extends from the laryngeal pharynx to the anus (terminal)
What are the digestive accessory organs?
teeth, tongue, salivary glands, liver, pancreas
Path of digestive system?
Oral cavity➡️oral pharynx➡️laryngo-pharynx➡️esophagus➡️stomach➡️small intestines (duodenum, jejunum, ileum) ➡️large intestines (cecum, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon) ➡️rectum ➡️anus (<30 feet long altogether).
4 functions of the digestive system?
Motility
secretion
digestion
absorption
What is motility?
food is mixed with digestive juices through smooth muscle contractions and moved down.
contractions are regulated by intrinsic and extrinsic signals (NS)
What is secretion?
release of mucus, enzymes and other digestive secretions (H+ and HC03-)
What is digestion?
breakdown of large molecules (proteins, starches) into small ones (amino acids, glucose)
What is absorption?
nutrients crossing into vessels and lymph (into internal environment)
What are the four main layers of tissue throughout the GI tract?
serosa
muscularis
submucosa
mucosa
What is serosa?
external wrapping of GI tract (connective tissue and lubricates)
What is muscularis?
smooth muscle layers for mobility
What is submucosa?
has glands, autonomic nerves and blood vessels
What is mucosa?
inner lining made of simple columnar epithelium (in contact with lumen)
Where does digestion begin?
in the mouth with chewing
What do salivary glands do?
secrete mucus in the oral cavity that moistens and lubricates food before swallowing
What does saliva contain?
amylase (breaks down starch) and lysosyme (anti-microbial enzyme)
Purpose of stomach?
secretes HCl. when this mixes with food, it forms gastric chyme.
Pepsin in released into stomach
hollow bag which stores contents of meal.
(produces acid + pepsin)
What happens in small intestine?
motility of small intestine mixes the chyme and moves it towards the colon
digestion and absorption of nutrients
pancreas and liver ass their digestive secretions to the duodenum
What does the large intestine (colon) do?
reabsorb water and minerals before excretion
What are the accessory glands?
liver, gallbladder, pancreas
What part of the small intestine receives pancreatic juices and bile from the liver?
duodenum