unit 2 review (2) Flashcards
What are the functions of the mouth and salivary glands in digestion?
Prepare food for swallowing, chewing, moistening with saliva, detects taste molecules, starts digestion of starch with amylase enzyme, starts digestion of fat with lingual lipase.
What is the function of the esophagus in the digestive system?
Moves food to stomach by peristaltic waves initiated by swallowing.
What functions does the stomach serve in digestion?
Secretes gastric juice, mixes food with gastric juice, starts digestion of protein and fat, kills microorganisms, secretes intrinsic factor, releases chyme to the small intestine.
What is the primary function of the liver in digestion?
Produces bile to aid fat digestion and absorption.
What is the role of the gallbladder in the digestive process?
Stores and concentrates bile, releases it to the small intestine.
What does the pancreas secrete into the small intestine?
Pancreatic juice containing digestive enzymes and bicarbonate.
What are the main functions of the small intestine?
Completes digestion, secretes hormones, absorbs nutrients, transports residue to the large intestine.
What is the function of the large intestine?
Absorbs water and electrolytes, forms and stores feces, houses gut microbiota.
What role does the rectum play in digestion?
Holds and expels feces via the anus.
What is the purpose of sphincters in the GI tract?
Control the flow of contents, prevent rapid progression, allow mixing with digestive secretions.
What are the key components of saliva?
Dissolves taste-forming compounds, aids in swallowing, digestion, and protection of teeth.
What is mucus, and where is it produced in the digestive system?
Protects GI tract cells, lubricates digesting food; produced in the mouth, stomach, small and large intestines.
What enzymes are involved in digestion, and what is their function?
Amylases, lipases, proteases; break down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins into absorbable forms.
What is the function of acid in the stomach?
Promotes digestion of protein, destroys microorganisms, increases solubility of minerals.
What is bile, and where is it produced?
Aids in fat digestion; produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder.
What role does bicarbonate play in digestion?
Neutralizes stomach acid when it reaches the small intestine.
What are probiotics?
Live microorganisms that confer health benefits on the host when ingested in adequate amounts.
What is the difference between physical and chemical digestion?
Physical digestion involves breaking food into smaller pieces; chemical digestion involves breaking down large food molecules into small nutrient molecules.
Define an enzyme and its function in digestion.
Proteins that speed up digestion by aiding in the breakdown of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
What hormones regulate digestion and absorption?
Gastrin, Secretin, Cholecystokinin (CCK), Somatostatin, Glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP).
What are the different types of absorption in the small intestine?
Passive diffusion, facilitated diffusion, active transport, endocytosis.
What are the roles of bacteria in the digestive process?
Synthesize vitamin K and biotin, aid lactose digestion, produce gas, ferment fibers and starches.
What causes ulcers and how are they treated?
Caused by H. pylori infection or NSAIDs; treated with antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors.
What causes heartburn and how can it be treated?
Caused by stomach acid backflow; treated with lifestyle modifications and medications.
