The Digestive System Terms Flashcards
Accessory Organs
Consist of organs that are part of system, but not part of continuous tube from mouth to anus; accessory organs are liver, pancreas, gallbladder, and salivary glands
Alimentary Canal
Also known as gastrointestinal system or digestive system; system covers area between mouth and anus and includes 30 feet of intestinal tubing; has a wide range of functions; system serves to store and digest food, absorb nutrients, and eliminate waste; major organs of system are mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, rectum, and anus
Amylase
Digestive enzyme found in saliva that begins digestion of carbohydrates
Anal Sphincter
Ring of muscle that controls anal opening
Antrum
Tapered distal end of the stomach
Anus
Terminal opening of digestive tube
Ascending Colon
Section of colon following cecum; ascends right side of abdomen
Bicuspids
Premolar permanent teeth having two cusps or projections that assist in grinding food; humans have eight bicuspids
Bile
Substance produced by liver and stored in gallbladder; added to chyme in duodenum and functions to emulsify fats so they can be digested and absorbed; cholesterol is essential to bile production
Body
(1) Whole, living individual; sum of all cells, tissues, organs, and systems working together to sustain life; (2) Main portion of organ such as stomach or uterus
Bolus
Chewed up morsel of food ready to be swallowed
Buffers
Chemicals that neutralize acid, particularly stomach acid
Canines
Also called cuspid teeth or eyeteeth; permanent teeth located between incisors and bicuspids that assist in biting and cutting food; humans have four canine teeth
Cardiac Sphincter
Also called ‘lower esophageal sphincter’; prevents food and gastric juices from backing up into esophagus
Cecum
First portion of colon; is a blind pouch off beginning of large intestine; appendix grows out of end of cecum
Cementum
Anchors root of a tooth into socket of jaw
Cheeks
Form lateral walls of oral cavity
Chyme
Semisoft mixture of food and digestive fluids that pass from stomach into small intestines
Colon
Also called ‘large intestine’; functions to reabsorb most of fluid in digested food; material that remains after water reabsorption is feces; sections of colon are cecum, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, and sigmoid colon
Common Bile Duct (CBD)
Duct that carries bile from gallbladder to duodenum
Crown
Portion of tooth covered by enamel; also artificial covering for tooth created to replace original enamel
Cuspids
Permanent teeth located between incisors and bicuspids that assist in biting and cutting food; humans have four cuspids; also called canine teeth or eyeteeth
Cystic Duct
Duct leading from gallbladder to common bile duct; carries bile
Deciduous Teeth
20 teeth that begin to erupt around age of 6 months; eventually pushed out by permanent teeth
Defecation
Evacuation of feces from rectum
Dentin
Main bulk of tooth; is covered by enamel
Descending Colon
Section of colon that descends left side of abdomen
Duodenum
First section of small intestines; digestion is completed in duodenum after chyme mixes with digestive juices from pancreas and gallbladder
Emulsification
To make fats and lipids more soluble in water
Enamel
Hardest substance in body; covers outer surface of teeth
Epiglottis
Flap of cartilage that covers larynx when person swallows; prevents food and drink from entering larynx and trachea
Esophagus
Tube that carries food from pharynx to stomach
Feces
Food that cannot be digested becomes waste product and is expelled or defecated as feces
Fundus
Domed upper portion of organ such as stomach or
uterus
Gallbladder (GB)
Small organ located just under liver; functions to store bile produced by liver; gallbladder releases bile into duodenum through common bile duct
Gastrointestinal System (GI)
System that digests food and absorbs nutrients; organs include mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, liver, gallbladder, and anus; also called ‘digestive system.’
Gastrointestinal Tract
Continuous tube that extends from mouth to anus; also called ‘gut’ or ‘alimentary canal.’
Gingiva
Tissue around teeth; also called ‘gums.’
Gums
Tissue around teeth; also called ‘gingiva.’
Gut
Name for continuous muscular tube that stretches
between mouth and anus; also called ‘alimentary
canal.’
Hepatic Duct
Duct that leads from liver to common bile duct; transports bile
Hydrochloric Acid (HCl)
Acid secreted by stomach lining; aids in digestion
Ileocecal Valve
Sphincter between ileum and cecum
Ileum
Third portion of small intestines; joins colon at cecum; ileum and cecum are separated by ileocecal valve
Incisors
Biting teeth in very front of mouth that function to cut food into smaller pieces; humans have eight incisors
Jejunum
Middle portion of small intestines; site of nutrient absorption
Laryngopharynx
Inferior section of pharynx; lies at same level in neck as larynx
Lips
Anterior opening of oral cavity
Liver
Large organ located in right upper quadrant of abdomen; serves many functions in body; its digestive system role includes producing bile, processing absorbed nutrients, and detoxifying harmful substances
Lower Esophageal Sphincter
Also called cardiac sphincter; prevents food and gastric juices from backing up into esophagus
Molars
Large somewhat flat-topped back teeth; function to grind food; humans have up to twelve molars
Oral Cavity
The mouth
Oropharynx
Middle section of pharynx that receives food and drink from mouth
Palate
Roof of mouth; anterior portion is hard or bony, and posterior portion is soft or flexible
Pancreas
Organ in digestive system that produces digestive enzymes; also a gland in endocrine system that produces two hormones, insulin an glucagon
Pancreatic Duct
Duct carrying pancreatic juices from pancreas to duodenum
Pancreatic Enzymes
Digestive enzymes produced by pancreas and added to chyme in duodenum
Parotid Glands
Pair of salivary glands located in front of ears
Periodontal Ligaments
Small ligaments that anchor root of tooth in socket of jaw
Peristalsis
Wavelike muscular movements in wall of digestive system tube–esophagus, stomach, small intestines, and colon–that function to move food along tube
Permanent Teeth
32 permanent teeth begin to erupt at about age 6; generally complete by age sixteen
Pharynx
Medical term for throat; passageway that conducts air from nasal cavity to trachea and also carries food and drink from mouth to esophagus; pharynx is divided into three sections; nasopharynx, oropharynx, and laryngopharynx
Premolar
Another term for bicuspid teeth
Pulp Cavity
Hollow interior of tooth; contains soft tissue made up of blood vessels, nerves, and lymph vessels
Pyloric Sphincter
Sphincter at distal end of stomach; controls passage of food into duodenum
Rectum
Area at end of digestive tube for storage of feces that leads to anus
Root
Portion of tooth below gum line
Root Canal
Dental treatment involving pulp cavity of root of tooth; procedure used to save tooth that is badly infected or abscessed
Rugae
Prominent folds in mucosa of stomach; smooth out and almost disappear allowing stomach to expand when full of food; also found in urinary bladder
Saliva
Watery fluid secreted into mouth from salivary glands; contains digestive enzymes that break down carbohydrates and lubricants that make it easier to swallow food
Salivary Glands
Exocrine glands with ducts that open into mouth; produce saliva, which makes bolus of food easier to swallow and begins digestive process; there are three pairs of salivary glands: parotid, submandibular, and sublingual
Sigmoid Colon
Final section of colon; follows S-shaped path and terminates in rectum
Small Intestine
Portion of digestive tube between stomach and colon, and major site of nutrient absorption; there are three sections: duodenum, jejunum, and ileum
Sphincter
Ring of muscle around tubular organ; can contract to control opening of tube
Stomach
J-shaped muscular organ that acts as sac to collect, churn, digest, and store food; composed of three parts: fundus, body, and antrum; hydrochloric acid is secreted by glands in mucous membrane lining of stomach; food mixes with other gastric juices and hydrochloric acid to form semisoft mixture called chyme, which then passes into duodenum
Sublingual Glands
Pair of salivary glands in floor of mouth
Submandibular Glands
Pair of salivary glands in floor of mouth
Taste Buds
Found on surface of tongue; designed to detect bitter, sweet, sour, and salty flavors in our food
Teeth
Structures in mouth that mechanically break up food into smaller pieces during chewing
Tongue
Muscular organ in floor of mouth; works to move food around inside mouth and is also necessary for speech
Transverse Colon
Section of colon that crosses upper abdomen from right side of body to left
Uvula
Structure that hangs down from posterior edge of soft palate, helps in production of speech, and is location of gag reflex
Vermiform Appendix
Small outgrowth at end of cecum; function or purpose is unknown
