Physiology Flashcards
What are the main compartments of the digestive tract?
- Oral cavity
- Pharynx
- Oesophagus
- Stomach
- Small intestine
- Colon
- Rectum
What are accessory organs of the digestive tract?
- Tongue
- Teeth
- Salivary glands
- Pancreas
- Liver
- Gallbladder
Active process of food entering the oral cavity
What is the term for this?
Ingestion
Crushing, shearing and chewing of food
What is the term for this?
Mechanical digestion and propulsion
Chemical breakdown of food into small organic and inorganic molecules
What is the term for this?
Chemical digestion
Release of water, acids, enzymes, buffers and salt
What is the term for this?
Secretion
Movement of organic molecules, vitamins, electrolytes, minerals and water across digestive epithelium
What is the term for this?
Absorption
Elimination of waste products from body
What is the term for this?
Defecation
→ Caustic effects of digestive acids and enzymes
→ Mechanical stress
→ Bacteria
What do the above provide to the digestive tract?
Protection
What is the function of the oral cavity in digestion?
- Sensory analysis of food before swallowing
- Mechanical digestion (teeth, tongue, palatal surfaces)
- Lubrication → mixing food with saliva and mucus
- Limited chemical digestion of carbs and fats
How much saliva do the salivary glands produce daily and what does it consist of?
1-1.5l per day of saliva
→ 99.4% water, 0.6% electrolytes, buffer, glycoproteins, enzymes, antibodies, waste
→ Keeps oral surfaces clean
What is the function of the pharynx in digestion?
Muscular propulsion of bolus into oesophagus
What is the function of the oesophagus in digestion?
Actively moves swallowed food to stomach
How long is the oesophagus usually?
Approx. 25cm
What are the main characteristics of the stomach?
- Receives food from oesophagus → temporary storage
- Mechanical digestion → muscle contraction
- Chemical digestion → acids and enzymes
- Expendable tube-like organ
- Shaped like a “J”
Which organ is shaped like a J?
The stomach
Where does 90% of the nutrient absorption happen in the body?
Small intestine
How long is the small intestine usually?
Approx. 6 meters
What are the 3 segments of the small intestine?
Duodenum
Jejunum
Ileum
What are characteristics of the duodenum of the small intestine?
first 25cm → mixing bowl
What are characteristics of the jejunum of the small intestine?
2.5m → bulk of chemical digestion and nutrient absorption
What are characteristics of the ileum of the small intestine?
3.5m → controls flow of material to large intestine via ileocecal valve
What is the name of the valve between small and large intestine?
ileocecal valve
What are the 4 main layers of the small intestine?
Mucosa (Inner Layer)
Submucosa
Muscular layer
Serosa (outer layer)
What does the mucosa of the small intestine consist of?
→ Made of epithelium, areolar tissue and m. mucosae
→ Moistened by glandular secretions
What does the submucosa of the small intestine consist of?
→ Irregular CT
→ Between mucosa and muscular layer
→ Contains blood and lymphatic vessels and nerves
What does the muscular layer of the small intestine consist of?
→ Contains smooth muscle cells
→ Innervated by parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system
What does the serosa of the small intestine made of?
→ Made of Collagen
→ Turns into peritoneum
What are the villi and where can they be found?
→ Finger-like projections inside of the small intestine
→ Increase surface area
- e.g. on the plicae
What are the plicae of the small intestine?
→ Folds in small intestines