digestive system and digestive enzymes Flashcards
What is the main function of the digestive system?
To break down food into smaller molecules so the body can absorb vitamins and minerals essential to survive
What happens in the mouth during digestion
Food is chewed and mixed with saliva, which contains amylase to break down starch into sugars.
What is the role of the esophagus in digestion
It uses muscle contractions to move food from the mouth to the stomach.
What happens to food in the stomach
The stomach mixes food with gastric juices, including hydrochloric acid and the enzyme protease, which starts the digestion of proteins
What happens in the small intestine
Most absorption of vitamins and minerals occurs here. Enzymes from the pancreas and bile from the liver help digest fats, proteins, and carbohydrates
What roles do the liver and gallbladder play in digestion
The liver produces bile, which helps emulsify fats and destroy toxins. The gallbladder stores bile and releases it into the small intestine
What is the function of the large intestine
It absorbs water and forms waste (feces) to be excreted
What does the pancreas do in digestion
It produces digestive enzymes like lipase, protease, and amylase and releases them into the small intestine. it also releases insulin which lowers a persons blood sugar
What does the enzyme amylase do
It breaks down starch into sugars. Found in saliva and the pancreas.
What does protease do
they break down proteins into amino acids. pepsin works in the stomach, and trypsin is released by the pancreas into the small intestine.
What does the enzyme lipase do
It breaks down fats (lipids) into fatty acids and glycerol. Produced by the pancreas and works in the small intestine
What is the role of bile in digestion
Bile emulsifies fats (breaks them into smaller digestible droplets) to help lipase digest them more efficiently.
How are nutrients absorbed in the small intestine
through villi that line the inside of the small intestine
