Gastrointestinal System - A&P textbook Flashcards
What are the organs of the digestive system?
- Mouth
- Pharynx
- Esophagus
- Stomach
- Small intestines
- Large intestines
- Rectum
- Anus
What are the four layers of the wall of the alimentary canal?
- Mucosa
- Submucosa
- Adventitia (muscular layer)
- Serosa (serous layer)
What are the accessory organs of digestion?
- Teeth
- Tongue
- Salivary glands
- Liver
- Gallbladder
- Pancreas
What is the primary function of saliva?
Helps weaken bacterial action and aids in digestion
Define peristalsis.
The wave-like muscle contractions that move food through the digestive tract
What is chyme?
A semiliquid mass formed when food is mixed with digestive juices in the stomach
What are the main functions of the digestive system?
- Ingestion
- Digestion
- Secretion
- Absorption
- Excretion
What begins in the mouth and is a type of mechanical digestion?
Mastication
What is the role of the pharynx in digestion?
Connects the mouth to the esophagus and aids in swallowing
What is the function of the small intestine?
Major site of food digestion and absorption of nutrients
What are the three portions of the small intestine?
1st Duodenum
2nd Jejunum
3rd Ileum
What is the cecum?
The beginning of the large intestine, forming a blind sac
What are the portions of the colon?
- Ascending colon
- Transverse colon
- Descending colon
- Sigmoid colon
What is the function of the gallbladder?
Stores bile until it is released during digestion
What are the major solid abdominal organs?
- Liver
- Spleen
- Pancreas
What is the function of the liver?
- Storage of glucose
- Protein synthesis
- Filtering body wastes from the blood
What are the pancreatic enzymes that digest proteins?
- Trypsin
- Chymotrypsin
- Carboxypeptidase
What is the role of the peritoneum?
Surrounds the digestive organs and consists of two layers
What is the difference between mechanical and chemical digestion?
Mechanical digestion involves physical breakdown; chemical digestion involves enzymatic breakdown of food
What is the mesentery?
Parts of the peritoneum that hold abdominal organs in place and provide a passageway for blood vessels and nerves
Fill in the blank: The _______ is a pouch-like organ inferior to the diaphragm.
Stomach
True or False: The esophagus is a solid organ.
False
What are Peyer’s patches?
Lymphoid tissue found in the ileum of the small intestine
What is the function of the rectum?
Stores stool before excretion
What are the two types of muscle layers in the adventitia?
- Circular muscle layer
- Longitudinal muscle layer
What is the role of goblet cells in the small intestine?
Produce protective mucous lining
