The digestive system Flashcards
What are the two reasons that food is vital to life?
It provides the energy that drives the chemical reactions of the body cells.
2. It provides matter that is useful in building new tissues or repairing old
ones.
As it is normally consumed, food is not in a form that is immediately useful to the body. What must happen to the food before it is useful? What is this process called?
It must first be broken down into molecules small enough to be absorbed across cell membranes.
This breaking down process is called digestion. The organs that accomplish this process form the digestive system.
Name and give a brief definition for each of the five basic processes of digestion.
ingestion – taking food and drink by mouth
movement of food – passage of food through the gastrointestinal tract by
peristalsis
digestion – breakdown of foodstuffs
absorption – passage of simple molecules from the digestive tract into
either blood or lymph
defecation – elimination of indigestible substances from the system
Name and give a brief description for each of the two types of digestion.
mechanical digestion – various movements specific for a particular organ
that moves and churns food, breaking it down mechanically.
chemical digestion – consists of a series of catabolic reactions that break
down the foodstuffs enzymatically
What are the two main groups of digestive organs?
The organs of the digestive system are divided into two main groups, the gastrointestinal (GI) tract (alimentary canal) and the accessory organs.
List the organs of the gastrointestinal tract.
The organs of the GI tract include the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. This continuous tube contains the food from the time it enters the mouth until it exits via the anus.
How does the food move through this tube?
Muscular contraction of the wall of the GI tract break down the food physically and move it through the tract by peristalsis, a wave-like contraction of the smooth muscle.
What are the accessory organs of the digestive system?
The accessory organs are those structures which are not a direct part of the GI tract, but which aid in the breakdown of food, either mechanically or by adding secretions to the material as it moves down the tube (teeth, tongue, salivary glands, pancreas, liver, and gallbladder).
Name the four main layers of the GI tract.
In general, the wall of the GI tract, from esophagus to anus, has four main layers:
- mucosa (mucous membrane)
- submucosa
- muscularis
- serosa
Describe the mucosa by listing and describing its three components.
The mucosa, the inner lining of the tract, consists of three parts, listed from innermost to outermost.
- epithelium
- lamina propria
- muscularis mucosa
Describe the epithelium.
The epithelium of the GI tract is in direct contact with the GI contents and is involved in protection, secre-tion of enzymes and hormones, and absorption of nutrients. From the stomach to the rectum, the epithelium is simple columnar. All other parts of the tract are stratified squamous.
Describe the lamina propria.
The middle layer of the mucosa is the lamina propria. This is a loose connective tissue rich in blood and lymphatic vessels and scattered lymphatic nodules.
Describe the muscularis mucosa.
The third layer of mucosa is the muscularis mucosae, a thin layer containing the smooth muscle cells arranged circumferentially around the tube. It throws the mucosa into folds that increase its surface area. This is particularly true in the stomach.
Describe the submucosa.
The second major level of the GI tract is the submucosa, a loose connective tissue that binds the mucosa to deeper structures. It is highly vascular and contains autonomic ganglia of the parasympathetic system, and may contain some exocrine glands that secrete into the gut.
Describe the muscularis.
The third layer of the GI tract is the muscularis, generally consisting of inner circular and outer longitudinal smooth muscle. This muscle is responsible for GI motility (movement of food through the gut).
Describe the serosa.
The fourth, and outermost, layer of the GI tract is the serosa. This is a serous membrane composed of epithelium and connective tissue. It is also known as the visceral peritoneum.
What is the peritoneum?
The peritoneum consists of a simple squamous epithelium called the mesothelium and an underlying connective tissue layer. It is divided into two layers with a potential space between them.
Differentiate between parietal peritoneum, visceral peritoneum, and the peritoneal cavity.
The parietal peritoneum lines the muscular wall of the abdominal cavity while the visceral peritoneum covers some of the organs as their serosa. The peritoneal cavity is the potential space between the two layers.
What does retroperitoneal mean?
Some organs of the abdominopelvic cavity lie between the parietal peritoneum and the muscular posterior abdominal wall. They are therefore said to be retroperitoneal.
What are the mesentery and the mesocolon?
In some areas, the peritoneum contains large folds that weave between the viscera and bind organs to the posterior wall, suspend-ing them within the abdominal cavity. The folds contain blood ves-sels, lymphatics, and nerves supplying the suspended organs. The mesentery surrounds the small intestine, and the mesocolon surrounds part of the large intestine.
mouth boundaries
The mouth (oral or buccal cavity) is formed by the cheeks laterally, hard and soft palates superiorly, and the tongue inferiorly
hard palate
The hard palate is the anterior portion of the roof of the
mouth. It is formed by the two maxillae and the two parietal bones. It also serves as the floor of the nasal cavity.
soft palate
The soft palate is the posterior portion of the roof of the
mouth. It consists of skeletal muscle covered by mucous mem-brane. Hanging from the middle of its free border is the uvula, a cone-shaped muscular process.
palatal arches
– Extending from the uvula are two muscular folds.
Anteriorly, the palatoglossal arches extend to the base of the tongue. Posteriorly, the palatopharyngeal arches project to the anterior surface of the pharynx
mouth mucosa
The inside of the mouth is lined with nonkeratinized stratified
squamous epithelium
mouth vestibule
– The vestibule of the mouth is the space bounded externally by
the cheeks and lips and internally by the gums and teeth
mouth fauces
The oral cavity itself extends from the gums and teeth, to the
fauces, the passageway posterior to the palatopharyngeal arches that open into the oropharynx.
tonge location and structure
The tongue, with its associated muscles,
forms the floor of the oral cavity. The tongue itself is com-posed of interlacing skeletal muscles, called the intrinsic muscles, covered by stratified squamous epithelium.
tongue extrinsic muscles
The extrinsic muscles of the tongue originate
outside the mouth and insert into the tongue’s base. They are used to move the tongue side-to-side and in-and-out, and to help maneuver food and shape it within the mouth
tongue function
Once a rounded mass of chewed food, called a bolus,
has been formed, the intrinsic muscles bow the tongue so that the bolus is moved from the front of the mouth, through the fauces, and into the oropharynx. The tongue is also used to alter sounds in the creation of speech.
tongue innervation
The tongue muscles, both intrinsic and extrinsic, are
innervated by cranial nerve XII, the hypoglossal nerve.
What is saliva?
Saliva is a fluid constantly secreted into the mouth by the salivary glands located in or near the mouth. There are four sets of salivary glands.
buccal gland
The buccal glands are the small glands located in the
mucous membrane of the mouth itself. They are responsible for keeping the mouth and pharynx moist, even when food is not in the mouth.
parotid gland
The paired parotid glands are located inferior and anterior
to the ears, between the skin and masseter muscle. They empty their secretions into the mouth via the parotid (Stensen’s) ducts that open into the vestibule of the mouth opposite the upper second molars.
submandibular gland
The paired submandibular glands are located just
inside the mandible and beneath the base of the tongue on either side. They empty via the submandibular (Wharton’s) ducts on either side of the lingual frenulum, opposite the two lower central incisors.
sublingual gland
The paired sublingual glands are located superior to
the submandibular glands just under the mucosa of the floor of the mouth. They empty via a number of small ducts directly into the floor of the oral cavity proper
What are the basic components of saliva?
Saliva is composed of 99.5% water, used to dissolve foods, and 0.5% solutes.
that are the basic solutes found in saliva
salivary amylase
ions
mucous
lysozyme
salivary amylase
This enzyme is used to initiate
carbohydrate chemical digestion by catalyzing the breakdown of starch (a polymer of glucose) to the disaccharide maltose (glucose-glucose).
salivary ions
Na+, K+, C-l, HCO3-, and HPO4-2 are the main ions
found in saliva. They are used to activate salivary amylase and to buffer acidic foods, keeping salivary pH between 6.35 - 6.85.
mucous
Mucin mixed with water forms mucous. It is used
to lubricate food so that it can be easily swallowed and to facilitate speech
lysozyme
Lysozyme is a nonspecific antimicrobial enzyme
used to maintain some degree of cleanliness in the mouth.
How is salivation controlled?
Salivation is completely under the control of the parasympa-thetic nervous system, via cranial nerves VII (facial) and IX (glossopharyngeal).
Name, and then describe, the three types of stimuli that initiate salivation.
psychic – The anticipation, sight, sound, smell, or memory of
food, working through the cerebral cortex, initiates reflexive salivation. (think Pavlov).
chemical – Stimulation of taste buds by food components or
the ingestion of irritants, working through the taste buds, initiates reflexive salivation.
tactile – Stimulation of touch receptors within the mouth and
pharynx initiates reflexive salivation. (Think about holding a pencil in your mouth.)
Describe the mechanical digestion that occurs in the mouth.
Through chewing (mastication), food is reduced to a soft, shredded, and ground moist mass. This mass is shaped by the combined action of the cheeks, tongue, and teeth into a flexible bolus that can be easily swallowed.
Describe the chemical digestion that occurs in the mouth.
Salivary amylase enzymatically converts starch (a polymer [a chemical compound consisting essentially of repeating structural units] of glucose) into the disaccharide maltose (GLU-GLU). There is a lingual lipase, a lipid- digesting enzyme but its effects are very minor. Other dietary sugars, as well as proteins and fats, are unaffected chemically.
define swallowing
Swallowing (deglutition) moves food from the mouth, through the pharynx and esophagus, to the stomach. It involves three phases and requires 4-8 seconds for solids, 1 second for liquids
describe the 3 phases by which swallowing occurs
In the voluntary stage, the bolus of food is forced to the back of the mouth and into the oropharynx by the movement of the tongue upward and back against the palate.
The pharyngeal stage begins when tactile receptors in the oropharynx are stimulated by the presence of the bolus. The sensory information is carried to the deglutition center of the medulla.
From the deglutition center, motor information via cranial nerves IX, X, XI causes contraction of the pharyngeal constrictors, contraction of the soft palate, and contraction of the laryngeal muscles.
As a result, food is moved down the pharynx to the esophagus, the soft palate blocks access to the nasal cavity, and the larynx is pulled up against the epiglottis, blocking access to the trachea.
The esophageal stage begins when the bolus is pushed into the proximal end of the esophagus. In response, the upper esophageal sphincter relaxes and the bolus moves into the esophagus.
Stretch of the esophagus initiates reflexive peristalsis, a wavelike contraction of the esophageal muscularis that pushes the bolus of food to the stomach.
At the distal end of the esophagus, the gastroesophageal sphincter (lower esophageal sphincter) is reflexively opened and the bolus is pushed into the stomach. The gastroesophageal sphincter immedi-ately closes.
describe the gross anatomy of the esophagus
The esophagus is a muscular, collapsible 10-inch
long tube that lies posterior to the trachea. It begins at the inferior end of the laryngopharynx, passes through the mediastinum anterior to the vertebral column, pierces through the diaphragm at the esophageal hiatus, and ends at the stomach.
esphageal sphincters
There are two esophageal sphincters. The upper
esophageal sphincter lies at the point where the esophagus exits from the laryngopharynx. The lower esophageal (gastroesophageal) sphincter lies at the distal end of the esophagus, at its junction with the stomach. They are normally closed and open only in response to the deglutition reflex.
esophageal mucosa/submucosa
The mucosa of the esophagus is
nonkeratinized stratified squamous for abrasion resistance. The submucosa contains numerous blood vessels and mucous-secreting glands.
esophageal muscularis
The muscularis begins as skeletal muscle proximally,
and grades into smooth muscle distally. The inner circular portions of the muscularis form the two sphincters of the esophagus.
esophageal function
The esophagus plays no role in digestion other than as a
conduit from the pharynx to the stomach, using peristalsis to move the food. There are no enzymatic secretions from the esophagus
stomach location
The stomach is a J-shaped enlargement of the GI tract
directly posterior to the diaphragm in the left upper quadrant (left hypochondriac region) of the abdominopelvic cavity. The superior end is a continuation of the esophagus; the inferior end becomes the duodenum.
Stomach subdivisions
The stomach is divided into four major areas by
imaginary lines: the cardia, fundus, corpus (body), and pylorus.
What is the cardia
The cardia of the stomach is that portion that imme-diately surrounds the opening of the esophagus into the stomach
What is the fundus?
The fundus is the rounded portion lying above and to the left of the cardia. It is located above an imaginary line drawn in the horizontal plane between the open-ing of the esophagus and far left margin of the stomach.
What is the corpus?
The corpus (body) of the stomach is the large central portion below the fundus.
What is the pylorus?
The pylorus is the narrow inferior portion that tapers to funnel the corpus into the small intestine (duodenum).
pyloric sphincter
At the termination of the pylorus, the inner
circular layer of smooth muscle is thickened to form the pyloric sphincter which regulates the movement of food from the stomach into the duodenum.
curvature of stomach
The concave medial border of the stomach is the lesser
curvature and the convex lateral border is the greater curvature.
stomach rugae
When empty the mucosa of the stomach lies in large folds
called rugae. As the stomach is filled during a meal, the rugae becomes flattened. This allows the stomach to increase its size without increasing its tension.
stomach epithelium
There are two major differences in the histology of the
stomach compared to the other GI structures. The epithe-lium of the stomach changes abruptly from the stratified squamous of the esophagus to simple columnar at the cardia. This epithelium contains many gastric pits; at the bottom of each are the gastric glands.
Stomach cells of the gastric glands
The gastric glands consist of four different cell types: 1. chief (zygomatic) cells 2. parietal cells 3. mucous neck cells 4. G cells
What is the function of chief cells?
Chief cells secrete the principal gastric enzyme as an inactive precursor form called pepsinogen, and an enzyme of lesser importance, gastric lipase.
What is the function of the parietal cell?
Parietal cells secrete hydrochloric acid (HCl), which converts pepsinogen to its active form of pepsin, and intrinsic factor, which binds dietary vitamin B12.
What is the function of the mucous neck cells?
Mucous neck cells, located at the top (neck) of the gastric glands, secrete mucous which coats the mucosa, giving it protection from the HCl and pepsin
What is the function of the G cells?
G cells secrete the hormone gastrin. As will be seen shortly, gastrin has a number of roles in GI physiology.