Digestive System - Anatomy Flashcards
The gastrointestinal tract is sometimes called the _____.
alimentary canal
The digestive system organs fall into two major groups: the _____ and the _____.
gastrointestinal (GI) tract; accessory organs
The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a(n) _____ tube that twists its way from the mouth to the anus. Chemically inert objects can travel in one end and out the other without change, and are technically never inside the body.
continuous
- The organs of the gastrointestinal tract, taken in order, begins with the mouth, includes the _____, _____, _____, _____ and _____, and ends with the anus.
pharynx; esophagus; stomach;small intestine; large intestine
The accessory digestive organs modify ingested food either _____ or _____, or both.
mechanically; chemically
The accessory digestive organs include the _____, _____, _____, _____, _____ and _____.
teeth; tongue; gallbladder; salivary glands; liver; pancreas
The central area of the gastrointestinal tract is called the _____, a name that describes this region in many other tubular organs as well.
lumen
The organs of the digestive system which are found in the abdominal cavity, and the cavity itself, are lined by a(n) _____ membrane: the _____.
serous; peritoneum
The peritoneal cavity is located between the visceral and parietal layers of the peritoneum and is filled with _____.
serous fluid
The _____ are double-layered extensions of the peritoneum which connect the abdominal organs to the abdominal walls. Collectively, these extensions are called the _____.
mesenteries; mesentery
Several organs lie outside the peritoneal cavity, between the parietal peritoneum and the dorsal abdominal wall. These are referred to as _____ organs.
retroperitoneal
The duodenum, pancreas, ascending colon, descending colon, rectum, kidneys, adrenal glands, and urinary bladder are all _____ organs.
retroperitoneal
The _____ contains blood vessels, lymphatics, and nerves which supply the digestive organs.
mesentery
The _____ holds the abdominal organs in place and prevents them from shifting within the abdominal cavity. In addition, fat accumulates within its folds.
mesentery
The most visible mesentery (upon dissection) is the folded layer which hangs like a curtain from the stomach and transverse colon; it is called the _____.
greater omentum
Fat accumulates between the folds of the _____, leading to its alternate name: the ‘fatty apron.’
greater omentum
The oral cavity is divided into two regions: the _____ lies outside of the boundary formed by the teeth (or gums, aka _____) but inside of the mouth; the _____ lies inside of the boundary formed by the teeth (or gums).
vestibule; gingiva; oral cavity proper
The posterior of the oral cavity leads into the _____.
pharynx
The Latin word for lip is _____ (plural, _____).
labium; labia
The roof of the oral cavity is divided into two parts: the bony _____ and the _____.
hard palate; soft palate
The _____ is the ‘dangly bit’ that projects from the soft palate; together with the soft palate, it prevents _____ as one swallows.
uvula; food from entering the
nose
The opening to the pharynx, aka the _____, is bounded laterally by the _____ of the lymphatic system.
fauces; tonsils
The intrinsic muscles of the tongue allow it to change _____, while the extrinsic muscles change its _____.
shape; position
Small bumps on the tongue enhance the tongue’s ability to _____. In addition, some house receptors called _____.
grip food; taste buds
Children have _____ teeth, adults (counting wisdom teeth), _____.
20; 32
_____ are teeth which cut; _____, teeth which tear; and _____ and _____, teeth which grind.
Incisors; canines; premolars;
molars
The part of a tooth visible above the gums is the _____; the part below the gums, the _____; and the boundary between the two, the _____.
crown; root; neck
The root of a tooth is composed of an outer layer of living tissue called _____, within which lies a cavity called the root canal which contains _____ (connective tissue), _____ and _____.
dentin; pulp; blood vessels; nerves
The crown of a tooth is composed of a core of living tissue called _____ surrounded by a layer of nonliving _____, the hardest substance in the body.
dentin; enamel
Teeth are held in their sockets by _____; the joints they form with the _____ (the sockets) are called gomphoses.
periodontal ligaments; alveoli
_____ pairs of large salivary glands and hundreds of microscopic ones produce saliva, which lubricates and moistens the oral cavity.
Three
The parotid glands are located _____, and produce _____ (watery) saliva.
posterolateral to the masseter;
serous
The submandibular glands are salivary glands which are located _____, and produce _____ (watery) saliva.
inferomedial to each side of the mandible; serous
The sublingual glands are salivary glands which are located _____ and which produce _____ saliva.
beneath the tongue; mucus-rich
The esophagus is a tube lying anterior to the _____ and posterior to the_____ and _____. It connects the _____ to the _____, and has a(n) _____ at each end to control the entry and exit of food and drink.
vertebrae; larynx; trachea; pharynx; stomach; sphincter
The lower esophageal sphincter is also known as the _____.
cardiac sphincter
The musculature of the esophagus is unusual in that the upper part is _____, while the lower part (close to the stomach) is _____.
voluntary muscle; smooth muscle
The upper opening of the stomach is the _____ or _____ opening; leakage of substances through the opening is prevented by the _____.
gastroesophageal; cardiac; cardiac sphincter
One part of the stomach, the _____, is superior to the cardiac sphincter. (Gas sometimes accumulates here, leading to an uncomfortably bloated sensation.)
fundus
The stomach’s contents leave to enter the small intestine via the _____, and unintentional leakage of substances through the opening is prevented by the _____.
pyloric orifice; pyloric sphincter
The stomach churns food and mixes it with gastric secretions to form _____, which literally means ‘juice.’
chyme
The interior of the empty stomach is extremely wrinkled: these wrinkles, or folds, are called _____ and allow the stomach to expand and stretch when storing food or drink.
rugae
The stomach does not digest itself because its lumen is coated heavily with a layer of _____.
neutral to alkaline mucus
The lower region of the stomach (the _____ region) contracts against the lower sphincter, which does not fully open, in order to transfer chyme a little bit at a time to the small intestines.
pyloric
The small intestine is divided conceptually into three regions. Listed in order as food moves, they are the _____, _____ and _____.
duodenum; jejunum; ileum
The 25 cm _____ is the C-shaped portion of the small intestine into which the stomach empties. Its name is derived from the number 12, for ‘12 inches.’
duodenum
The second-longest portion of the small intestine is the _____, measuring 2.5 meters (just
over 8 feet) in length. (It quickly becomes clear that the small intestine is named ‘small’
due to its diameter, not its length.)
jejunum
The longest portion of the small intestine is the _____, measuring 3.5 meters (almost 11.5
feet)
ileum
The great length of the small intestine is necessary for _____; in addition, its surface is
formed into _____, _____ and _____, so that its total surface area is huge - roughly the
size of a tennis court!
nutrient absorption; circular
folds; villi; microvilli
The large intestine is divided into five regions. The _____, _____ and approximately one
half of the _____ are found on the right side of the body.
vermiform appendix; cecum;
colon
The large intestine is divided into five regions. Approximately one half of the _____ is
found on the left side of the body; from there, feces reach the _____, their final storage
place prior to their exit through the _____.
colon; rectum; anal canal
The colon is divided into four regions, the _____ colon on the right side of the body, the
_____ colon which crosses from right to left, and the _____ colon and _____ colon on the
left side of the body.
ascending; transverse;
descending; sigmoid
The _____ is a vestigial organ roughly the size of one’s index finger, suspended from the
cecum.
vermiform appendix
The chyme, or bolus, enters the large intestine at the top of the _____, and is allowed to
fill it and remain there for awhile to decrease the water content.
cecum
Entry of chyme into the large intestine is controlled by the _____, which is found at the
juncture of the ileum and large intestine.
ileocecal valve
The teniae coli are _____ which run the length of the large intestine. They cause the
formation of puckered pouches called _____ along the entire length of the large intestine.
ribbons of smooth muscle;
haustra
Small, fat-filled pouches are attached to the large intestine here and there along its length:
these are called _____.
epiploic appendages
The anal canal is a 1.5 cm passageway which conducts feces out of the rectum. It
includes two _____; the inner one is involuntary, the outer, voluntary.
sphincters
The bulk of the liver is on the _____ side of the body, _____ to the esophagus and vena
cava.
right; anterior
The lobes of the liver are the _____, _____, _____ and _____ lobes.
left; right; caudate; quadrate
The quadrate lobe of the liver is _____ to the caudate lobe. Both lie beneath and between
the left and right lobes.
anterior
The region on the _____ surface of the liver at which blood vessels, ducts, and nerves
enter the organ is known as the _____.
inferior; porta
Blood enters the liver via two major vessels, the _____ and _____.
hepatic artery; portal vein
. Innervation of the liver is enabled by entry of the _____ through the porta.
hepatic nerve plexus
Lymphatic vessels and _____ hepatic bile ducts leave the liver through the
porta. The hepatic ducts merge to form the _____.
two; common hepatic duct
Dilute bile is produced by the liver and transferred to the _____, where it is _____ and
_____.
gallbladder; concentrated;
stored until needed
The amount of bile produced daily is determined in part by one’s _____ daily intake: thus,
a sudden decrease in intake (as on a diet) may result in the _____.
average; accumulation of
unused bile
Accumulation of unused bile in the gallbladder is dangerous, because as water and
electrolytes continue to be removed, _____.
cholesterol may precipitate and
form gallstones
The gallbladder can store approximately _____ ml ( plus or minus 15 ml or so) of
concentrated bile.
55
Bile leaves the gallbladder via the _____ duct, which merges with the _____ duct to form
the _____ duct.
cystic; common hepatic;
common bile
The gallbladder has three layers: the lumen is lined with _____, which is surrounded by
the _____, and that in turn by _____.
mucosa; muscularis; serosa
The mucosa of the gallbladder, when empty, is _____ to form _____.
folded; rugae
The pancreas is a long, roughly triangular organ nestled in the curve of the _____, lying
posterior to the _____.
duodenum; stomach
The head of the pancreas lies against the _____, while the tail extends toward (and
almost reaches) the _____.
duodenum; spleen
The pancreas is essentially two glands in one: that is, it has both _____ and _____
functions.
endocrine; exocrine
The _____ are clusters of cells in the pancreas which secrete digestive enzymes.
acini
The secretions of the acini are collected in a network of ducts which feeds into the _____,
which empties into the _____ via two branches, one small and one large.
pancreatic duct; duodenum
The smaller branch of the pancreatic duct enters the duodenum via the _____.
minor duodenal papilla
The larger branch of the pancreatic duct joins the _____ to form the _____, which empties
into the duodenum via the _____.
common bile duct;
hepatopancreatic ampulla;
major duodenal papilla
