Digestive System Flashcards
Oral Cavity
The oral cavity includes the lips, the inside lining of the lips and cheeks, the teeth, the gums, the front two-thirds of the tongue, the floor of the mouth below the tongue, and the bony roof of the mouth (hard palate)
Pharynx
Also called the throat, the pharynx is the portion of the digestive tract that receives the food from your mouth.
Esophagus
Located in your throat near your trachea (windpipe), the esophagus receives food from your mouth when you swallow. By means of a series of muscular contractions called peristalsis, the esophagus delivers food to your stomach.
Stomach
The stomach is a hollow organ, or “container,” that holds food while it is being mixed with enzymes that continue the process of breaking down food into a usable form. Cells in the lining of the stomach secrete a strong acid and powerful enzymes that are responsible for the breakdown process. When the contents of the stomach are sufficiently processed, they are released into the small intestine
Duodenum
The duodenum precedes the jejunum and ileum and is the shortest part of the small intestine, where most chemical digestion takes place.
Jejunum
The lining of the jejunum is specialized for the absorption, by enterocytes, of small nutrient particles which have been previously digested by enzymes in the duodenum.
ilium
The function of the ileum is mainly to absorb vitamin B12 and bile salts and whatever products of digestion were not absorbed by the jejunum. The wall itself is made up of folds, each of which has many tiny finger-like projections known as villi on its surface.
Large intestine
Major function of the large intestine. The major function of the large intestine is to absorb water from the remaining indigestible food matter and transmit the useless waste material from the body.
Cecum
The main functions of the cecum are to absorb fluids and salts that remain after completion of intestinal digestion and absorption and to mix its contents with a lubricating substance, mucus. The internal wall of the cecum is composed of a thick mucous membrane, through which water and salts are absorbed.
Vermiform appendix
The presence of lymphoid tissue suggests that the appendix may play a role in the immune system in addition to the digestive system. The appendix is not a vital organ and medical researchers still debate its exact function in our bodies.
Ascending colon
The ascending colon is one of the four major regions of the colon, which is itself one of the parts of our large intestine. The ascending colon carries feces from the cecum superiorly along the right side of our abdominal cavity to the transverse colon.
Descending colon
The colon is part of the large intestine, the final part of the digestive system. Its function is to reabsorb fluids and process waste products from the body and prepare for its elimination. The colon consists of four parts: descending colon, ascending colon, transverse colon, and sigmoid colon.
Transverse colon
The transverse colon is the lengthy, upper part of the large intestine. Ingested food exits the small intestine and enters the cecum. As digestion continues, the ingested matter moves up the ascending colon and into the transverse colon
Sigmoid colon
Sigmoid colon, a terminal section of the large intestine that connects the descending colon to the rectum; its function is to store fecal wastes until they are ready to leave the body.
Rectum
The rectum is the last straight section of the large intestine before reaching the anus. The anus is the opening at the lower end of the digestive tract that controls the expulsion of feces.
Anal canal/anus
It is the last section of the large intestine. It is the last spot where stools pass through before finally exiting the body
Teeth
Organs of chewing, which is also known as mastication. Teeth cut, tear and grind food in the mouth, enabling it to be mixed with saliva (from the salivary glands) effectively and therefore swallowed more easily.
Tongue
collection of muscles working together to manipulate food for chewing and swallowing.
Sublingual glands
The paired sublingual glands are major salivary glands in the mouth. They are the smallest, most diffuse, and the only unencapsulated major salivary glands. They provide only 3-5% of the total salivary volume
Submandibular glands
either of a pair of salivary glands situated below the lower jaw.The submandibular gland’s highly active acini account for most of the salivary volume.
Parotid glands
They are the largest of the salivary glands. Each parotid is wrapped around the mandibular ramus, and secretes saliva through the Stensen duct (or parotid duct) into the mouth, to facilitate mastication and swallowing and to begin the digestion of starches
Liver
process the nutrients absorbed from the small intestine. Bile from the liver secreted into the small intestine also plays an important role in digesting fat.
Gallbladder
The gallbladder holds bile produced in the liver until it is needed for digesting fatty foods in the duodenum of the small intestine.
Cystic duct
The cystic duct is a small channel between the gall bladder and common bile duct. Its primary function is to transmit bile between the gall bladder and other ducts essential for digestion. It is typically located beside the cystic artery, which delivers oxygenated blood to both the cystic duct and the gall bladder.
