Digestive System Various Terms Flashcards
bolus
mass of masticated food after being broken down in the mouth and ready to be swallowed
Buccal cavity
oral cavity or mouth (bucca means cheeks)
mastication
mechanically breaking down food by the teeth
dentin
part of tooth below the enamel; the main structure of the tooth
pulp
inner most part of tooth which contains nerves and blood vessels
gingiva
gums
deglutition
swallowing
bilirubin
Orange-colored or yellowish pigment in bile. Formed principally by the breakdown or hemoglobin in red blood cells after termination of their normal lifespan.
exocrine
denotes a gland that secretes its products through excretory ducts to the surface of an organ or tissue into a vessel.
sphincter
circular band of muscle fibers that constricts a passage or closes a natural opening of the body.
hard palate
anterior portion of the roof of the mouth
soft palate
posterior portion of the roof of the mouth
pylorus
the part of the stomach where most digestion takes place
rugae
folds in the stomach that gradually unfold as the stomach fills
chyme
a semi liquid substance that the bolus is turned into in the stomach and then enters duodenum through the pyloric sphincter
peristalsis
coordinated, rhythmic, muscle contractions of the digestive system that propel food through
length of small intestine
20 feet
duodenum: 10 inches
jejunum: 8 feet
ileum: 12 feet
large intestine
about five feet long
no digestion takes place
only secretion is mucous which lubricates fecal matter
three parts: cecum, colon, rectum
cecum: a small pouch that hangs inferior to the ileocecal valve
main functions of colon are to absorb water and minerals and eliminate undigested material
pancreas
endocrine and exocrine
endocrine: secretes insulin directly into blood stream to maintain normal blood glucose levels
exocrine: produces digestive enzymes that pass into the duodenum through the pancreatic duct
