The Human Body - Digestive, Lymphatic, Endocrine, & Urinary Systems Flashcards
The digestive system is also called ___
The gastrointestinal system
Parts of the digestive system
- Gastrointestinal tract (stomach & intestines)
- Mouth
- Salivary glands
- Pharynx
- Esophagus
- Liver
- Gallbladder
- Pancreas
- Rectum
- Anus
Function of the digestive system
Process food to nourish the individual cells of the body
___ create the boundary of the abdomen
- Thick muscular abdominal walls
- Diaphragm
- An imaginary plane that extends from the pubic symphyses through the sacrum
Where do the quadrants of the abdomen intersect?
At the umbilicus
RUQ major organs
- Liver (Fills the entire anteroposterior depth of the abdomen in this quadrant)
- Gallbladder
- Portion of the colon
- Most of the liver (almost entirely under the protection of the 8th to 12th ribs)
LUQ major organs
- Stomach (may sag well down into the LLQ when full)
- Spleen (almost entirely under the protection of the left rib cage. Lies in the lateral and posterior portion of this quadrant, under the diaphragm and immediately in front of the 9th to 11th ribs)
- Portion of the colon
The spleen is frequently injured when the ___ ribs are fractured
9th to 11th
RLQ major organs
- Two portions of the large intestine (cecum & ascending colon)
- Appendix (attached to the lower border of the cecum)
LLQ major organs
- Descending and the sigmoid portions of the colon
The small intestine occupies ___
The central part of the abdomen around the umbilicus in all four quadrants
The pancreas lies ___
Behind the abdominal cavity on the posterior abdominal wall in both upper quadrants
The large intestine traverses the abdomen, beginning in ___ and ending in the ___ as it passes through ___
- RLQ
- LLQ
- All four quadrants
The urinary bladder lies ___
Just behind the pubic symphysis in the middle of the abdomen, in both lower quadrants and in the pelvis
The kidneys and the pancreas are called ___ because they ___
- Retroperitoneal organs
- Lie behind the abdominal cavity
The retroperitoneal organs are located ___
Above the level of the umbilicus, extending from the 11th rib to the 3rd lumbar vertebra on each side
Kidney size and location
About 5” (13 cm) long and lie just anterior to the costovertebral angle, which is the junction between the posterior aspect of the lower portion of the rib cage and the spine
Parts of the mouth
- Lips
- Cheeks
- Gums
- Teeth
- Tongue
The roof of the mouth is formed by ___
The hard and soft palates
The hard palate is ___
A bony plate lying anteriorly
The soft palate is ___
A fold of mucous membrane and muscle that extends posteriorly from the hard palate into the throat
Purpose of the soft palate
Designed to hold food that is being chewed within the mouth and to help initiate swallowing
Location of the salivary glands
- One set on each side of the mouth under the tongue
- Other set is in front of each ear
The salivary glands produce ___ of saliva daily
About 1.5 L
Saliva is made of ___
- 98% water
- 2% mucus, salts, and organic compounds
Saliva serves as ___
A binder for the chewed food being swallowed and a lubricant within the mouth. Also contains certain digestive enzymes
An automatic movement of the pharynx during swallowing lifts the ___ to permit the epiglottis to close over it so that liquids and solids are ___
- Larynx
- Moved into the esophagus and away from the trachea
What is the esophagus?
A collapsible tube about 10” (25 cm) long that extends from the end of the pharynx to the stomach
Where is the esophagus located?
Lies just anterior to the spinal column in the chest
___ of the esophagus propel food through it to the stomach
Contractions of the muscle in the wall
Stomach location
LUQ, largely protected by the lower left ribs
How does the stomach digest food?
Muscular contractions in the wall of the stomach and gastric juices, which contain lots of mucus, convert food to chyme
The stomach produces ___ of gastric juice daily
About 1.5 L
The function of the stomach
Receive food in large quantities intermittently, store it, and provide for its movement into the small bowel in regular, small amounts
How long for one meal to pass through the stomach
1 to 3 hours
First part of the small intestine
Duodenum
Location of the pancreas
Lies below and behind the liver and stomach and behind the peritoneum. Firmly fixed in position, deep within the abdomen
The two portions of the pancreas are ___
Intertwined
Two kinds of glands in the pancreas
- Exocrine
- The islets of Langerhans
The exocrine secretes ___
Nearly 2 L of pancreatic juice daily
Pancreatic juice contains ___
Many enzymes that aid in the digestion of fat, starch, and protein
Pancreatic juice flows directly into the ___
Duodenum through the pancreatic ducts
The islets of Langerhans is ___
Endocrine
The islets of Langerhans produce ___
Insulin and glucagon (hormones)
Purpose of insulin and glucagon
Regulate the amount of glucose in the blood
Largest solid organ in the abdomen
Liver
Liver location
Most of the area immediately beneath the diaphragm in the RUQ and also extends into the LUQ
Function of the liver
- Poisonous substances produced by digestion are brought to the liver and rendered harmless
- Factors that are necessary for blood clotting and for the production of normal plasma are formed here
- Produces .5 to 1 L of bile daily to assist in the normal digestion of fat
- Primary organ for the storage of sugar or starch for immediate use by the body for energy
- Produces many of the factors that aid in the proper regulation of immune responses
All the blood that is pumped to the gastrointestinal tract passes into the liver through the ___ before it returns to the heart
Portal vein
Approximately ___ of the cardiac output of blood passes through the liver each minute
25% (1.5 L)
The liver connects with the intestine by way of the ___
Bile ducts
The gallbladder is ___
A small pouch extending from the bile ducts that serves as the reservoir and concentrating organ for bile produced in the liver