RyleMcClaren

Digestive System Lab Report

PartI:StructuresoftheMouth
Thefollowingreportdisplaysvariouslabswhichcoverthedigestivesystemanditsfunctions.
Partoneofthelabdiscussesthestructuresofthemouthandtheirroleindigestion.ASalivary
Amylaselabwasconductedtotestthestarchinsalivaandtheeffectsofhowsalivabreaksthe
starchdown.ATasteBudlabwasconductedtotestwhethersomeonecantastefoodwiththeir
nasalsensesblockedoff.Thislabalsodiscussesthemammalteethforahogandajavelina.

Digestionbeginsinthemouthwithmasticationwhilechewingfood,thenmovestothe
esophagusonceswallowed.Thefoodthenmovesfromtheesophagustothestomach,whereit
isbrokendownintochymethenpasseddowntotheintestines.Themouthisresponsiblefor
chewingthefoodintotinyparticlessoitcanbedigestedeasier.Theesophagusisresponsible
forswallowingthefoodanddepositingitintothestomach.

Themouthissurroundedbythecheeks,lips,tongue,andpalate,whichallhavearolein
digestion.Thecheeksshapethelateralwallsofthemouthandtheyaremadeupofouterlayers
oftheskin,padsofsubcutaneousfat,muscles,associatedwithexpressionandmastication,and
innerliningsofmoist,stratifiedsquamousepithelium.Thelipssurroundthemouthandcontain
skeletalmusclesandsensoryreceptorsthatareusefulforjudgingthetemperatureandtexture
offoods.Thetongueisathickmuscularorganlocatedinthefloorofthemouthfillingalmostthe
entireoralcavitywhenthemouthisclosed.Themuscularactionofthetonguemixesfood
particleswithsalivaduringchewing,andpassesfoodtowardthepharynxwhenswallowing.The
palateformstheroofoftheoralcavityandismadeupofahardanteriorandsoftanteriorpart.
Thehardpalateiscreatedbythepalatineprocessesofthemaxillaeinthefrontandthe
horizontalbonesintheback.Thesoftpalateshapesamusculararch,whichextendsposteriorly
anddownwardasaconeshapedprojectionthatiscalledtheuvula.Whileswallowing,the
musclesdrawthesoftpalateanduvulaforward.Thismovementclosestheopeninginthe
middleofthenasalcavityandthepharynx,preventingfoodfromenteringthenasalcavity.

Thetastebudsgiveasignaltothebraintotellwhatfoodisbeingconsumed.Itishardtotell
whichfoodisbeingeatenwiththenasalsensesblocked,becausethenasalsensescan
determineafood,justbysmellingalone.Thetastebudsmainjobistogetthefoodreadyfor
digestion,sotherestofthebodycanbepreparedtodigestit.

Teethplayasignificantroleindigestionbecausetheyarethehardeststructuresinthebody,
whichhelpsbreakfoodintotinyparticles.Theteetharedevelopedinsocketsinthealveolar
processesinthemandibleandmaxillae.Theteethareresponsibleforchewingfoodintosmall
piecesbeginningmechanicaldigestion.Differentteethareadaptedtohandlefoodindifferent
ways.Thesharpedgesofthechiselshapedincisorsaremadetobiteofflargepiecesoffood,
andtheconeshapedcanineteethgraspandtearthefoodapart.Theflatsurfacesofthe
premolarsandmolarsgrindthefoodparticles.

Thesalivaryglandssecretesaliva,whichmoistensfoodparticleshelpingthembind,beginning
thechemicaldigestionofcarbohydrates.Salivaisasolvent,meaningitcandissolvefoodsso
theycanbetastedandcleansesthemouthandteeth.Thedifferentsalivaryglandshavetwo
typesofsecretorycells,serouscellsandmucouscells.Serouscellscreatewateryfluidsthat
containadigestiveenzymecalledsalivaryamylase.Thesalivaryamylasesplitsstarchand
glycogen,moleculesintodisaccharides,startingthedigestionofcarbohydrates.Mucouscells
producethickliquidscalledmucus,whichhelpsattachfoodparticlesandactsalubricantwhen
swallowing.
Theintestinesarelongtubesthatconnectfromthestomachtoallthewaydowntotheanus.
Theabsorptionofnutrientsandwateroccurintheintestinesandthefoodproductsofdigestion
aredividedintotwosectionscalledthesmallandlargeintestines.Thesmallintestineisbroken
downintothreeparts:theduodenum,jejunum,andileum.Theduodenumisresponsiblefor
takinginsemidigestedfoodfromthestomachthroughthepylorus,andcontinuesthedigestion
process.Theduodenumalsousesbilefromthegallbladder,liver,andpancreastoaidin
digestion.Thejejunumisthemiddlesectionofthesmallintestinethatcarriesfoodthrough
rapidly,wavelikecontractionstowardstheileum.Theileumisthelongestpartofthesmall
intestine,anditiswheremostofthenutrientsfromfoodareabsorbedbeforeemptyingintothe
smallintestine.Whenfoodfinallyreachesthesmallintestine,ithasalreadybeenbrokendown
andmashedintoliquidbythestomach.Thelargeintestineismuchbroaderthanthesmall
intestineandhasastraighterpaththroughthestomach.Thelargeintestinesmainjobisto
absorbwaterandsaltsfromthematerialsthathavenotbeendigestedasfood,andridofany
wasteproductsthatisleftover.Thelargeintestineismadeupof:cecum,colon,ascending
colon,transversecolon,descendingcolon,sigmoidcolon,andtherectum.Thececumisthe
firstsectionofthelargeintestinethatlookslikeapouchandittakesdigestedliquidfromthe
ileumandpassesittothecolon.Thecolonisthemajorpartofthelargeintestine,andabsorbs
saltswhenneeded.Thecolonhasfourparts,andthefirstpartistheascendingcolon,which
pushesoutanywastefromthececumtoalocationjustundertherightlowerendoftheliver.In
thetransversecolon,foodpassesthroughthissectionportionofthecolon,acrossthefront
abdominalwall,thentravelsfromlefttorightunderneaththestomach.Thedescendingcolonis
thethethirdpartofthecolonthatpushesitscontentsfromnearthespleen,anddowntothe
lowersideoftheabdomen.ThesigmoidcolonisthefinalSshapedlengthofthecolon,that
coilsthesmallintestineandemptiestotherectum.Therectumisfinalsectionofthedigestive
tract.
SalivaryAmylaseLabData
Saliva
Water


Figure1
Figure2.

Aboveisapictureofthesalivaandwaterinthesalivaryamylaselab.Thislabrepresentedhow
salivaworkswithstarchinmouthswithwater.Theresultswerethatthestarchinthetesttube
dissolvedeasilywiththesaliva.Thewaterdidnotdissolvethestarchasfastasthesaliva,
becausethesalivabreaksdownfoodparticles.Thesalivaamylaseistheenzymeandits
breakingdownthecracker,justasourmouthsdowithfood.

TasteBudLab
Food

5secplacedon
tongue

5secchew

1.Apple

2.Carrot

3.Cheese

4.Banana
5.Potato

DoesntI.D.
food

5secplugnose
andchew

Figure3.Istaste80%smell?
Thestructuresofthemouthusetastebudstogiveasenseofwhatthefoodtasteslike.Inthis
lab,theresultsconcludewhenpeoplehavetheirnasalsensesblocked,theycouldnotrecall
whatthefoodwas.Itiscleartoseethatpeopleneedtheirnosesandchewingtoindicatewhat
foodstheyareconsuming.Withoutthesesenses,nobodywouldbeabletotasteordetermine
whatfoodsmellslike.Itisnecessaryforhumanstousetheirnasalsenses,andchewingtotell
whatfoodisconsumed.


MammalTeethStructures

Figure 4.
Figure5.

Thephotoaboveontheleftisapictureofahogsteeth,whichincludesthepremolarsand
molars.Thepictureaboveontheleftistheboarsmouthstructurethathaspremolars,molars,
andcanines.Thecanineteethareprimaryresponsibleforbreakingdownhardfood.

Hog
Javelina

Figure6.

Figure7.

Thepictureontheleftshowsthehogsteeth,whichcontainthemolarsandpremolars.The
molarsaremuchlargerteeththanthepremolars.Thephotoaboveontherightisapictureofa
javelinasfrontmouthstructure.Thecanineteetharelocatedontheside,andthereareonlytwo
canineteeth.

Javelina

Figure8.
Thepictureaboveshowsthejavelinasmolars,incisors,andpremolarsontheinsideofthe
mouth.

PartIIEsophagusandStomach

Parttwoofthislabdiscussesthefunctionsofatheesophagusandstomachindigestion
system.ThedigestivesystemrequiresapHinordertoproperlyprocessthefood.Thestomach
andtheesophagusplayamajorroleindigestion.ThislabstudiedtheeffectsofpHonprotein
digestionusingtestinghydrochloricacidinacontrolledtesttubeandexperimentaltesttube.
Thispartalsodiscussestheesophagusandstomachofacatbeforeandaftercuttingthem
open.

Theesophagusstartsatthelaryngopharynx,anddescendsthroughthethoraxposteriortothe
trachea,whereitpassesthroughthemedinstestine.Whenfoodisswallowed,itisbrokendown
intothreestagesofswallowing,andinthefirststagefoodismasticatedandmixedwithsaliva,
wherethenthetonguerollsthismixtureintoamassorbolus.Thebolusforcesthefoodintothe
oropharynx,wherethesecondstageofswallowingbeginswhenthefoodreachesthe
oropharynxandstimulatesthesensoryreceptorsthataresurroundingthepharyngealopening.
Oncefoodisinthethirdstageofswallowing,itshootsthroughtheesophagus,whereitis
passedtothestomach.

ThestomachisaJshapedfigurethathangsinferiortothediaphragmintheupperleftportionof
theabdominalcavity.Theinnerliningofthestomachhasthickgastricfoldsor(rugae)ofthe
mucosalandsubmucosallayersthatopenoutwhenthewallisextended.Oncethefoodhas
traveleddowntheesophagus,itisthenpasseddowntothestomach,wherethestomachmixes

thefoodwithgastricjuice,initiatesthedigestionofproteins,carriesonlimitedabsorption,and
passesfoodalongtothesmallintestine.Followingameal,themixingmovementsofthe
stomachwallaidinproducingasemifluidpasteoffoodparticlesandgastricjuicecalledchyme.
Theinnerliningofthestomachhasamucousmembranethatisthick,anditssurfaceiscovered
withmanysmallopeningsthatarecalledgastricpits,whicharelocatedatendsoftubular
gastricglands.Thegastricglandsareglandsinthestomachliningthatsecretegastricjuice.
GastricJuiceismadeupofhydrochloricacid,potassiumchloride,sodiumchloride,andthe
acidhelpsdigestproteins.Thegastricglandsaremadeupofthreetypesofsecretorycells,one
typeisthemucouscell,whichislocatedintheglandsneartheopeningsofthegastricpits.The
othertwocellsarechiefcells,andparietalcells,andthechiefcellssecretedigestiveenzymes,
whiletheparietalcellsarelocatedinthedeeperpartoftheglands.Allthreecellstogetherform
gastricjuice.

ThedigestivesystemrequirespHinordertodigestproperly.WithoutthepH,thedigestive
systemcannotbreakdownfoodadequately.ThehumanbodyhasaboutanaveragepHof7to
7.4mililiters.ItisnecessaryforthestomachtohaveanadequateamountofpHacidinorderto
breakthefoodparticlesintonutrientsforthebody.

PepsinLab

ControlTestTube
ExperimentalTestTube

Figure9.

Figure10.

Thetesttubeontheleftcontainsonlywater,whichshowshowthedigestiveiswhenthereisno
food.ThetesttubeontherightcontainsacidfromthepH,whichindicatesthatthe
digestivesystemusespHtobreakdownproteinsandothernutrients.Thepurposeofthis
experimentwastogatherquantitativedatatoseeifdigestioncanoccurwithouthydrochloric
acid. Pepsinisanenzymethatbreaksdownproteinsintotinierpeptides.

CatEsophagusandStomach

Figure11.Aboveisacatsesophagusandstomach.Thefoodtravelsdowntheesophagusand
intothestomach.Thecatsesophagusandstomacharelocatedverycloselytogether,andthey
bothbreakdownfood.

PartIIISmallandLargeIntestines

IntestinalLabData

Figure12.Thedataaboveisfromtheintestinallab,thatshowshowratsreactedtodifferent
hormonesinjectedtothem.Itisgatheredthattheratshadahighglucoselevelaltogether,and
thepHofthestomachwasthelowest.

IntestinalLabData

Figure13.Thetableaboverepresentsthedataofthecomparedeffectsoftheunknownagents
onthedifferentfunction.Thefiveunknownsare:1.CCK,2.Secretin,3.ACH,4.Gastrin,and5.
GIP.

UnknownTable
Number

Unknown

CCK

Secretin

ACH

Gastrin

GIP

Figure14.Theabovetableshowsthenamesoftheunknownhormones

Catliver,intestines,andpancreas

Figure15.Theabovephotoofthecatshowswheretheliver,intestines,andpancreas
arelocated.
Thepancreasisanendocrineglandthatextendshorizontallyacrosstheposteriorabdominal
wall.Thepancreashasanexocrinefunctionthatthatsecretesadigestivefluidcalledpancreatic
juice.Thecellsthatmakepancreaticjuiceiscalledacinarcellsthatmakeupthemajorityofthe
pancreas.Acinarcellsfromclusterscalledaciniaroundsmalltubeswherethereleasetheir
secretions.Thepancreaticjuicehasenzymesthatdigestcarbohydrates,fats,proteins,and
nucleicacids.Pancreaticamylaseisacarbohydratedigestingenzymethatdividedmoleculesof
starchorglycogenintodisaccharides.Pancreaticlipaseisthefatdigestingenzymebreaks
triglyceridemoleculesintofattyacidsandmonoglycerides.

Theliveristhelargestinternalorgan,anditislocatedintheupperrightquadrantofthe
abdominalcavitythatisjustinferiortothediaphragm.Theliverhasseveralmetabolicactivities,
anditplaysanimportantpartincarbohydratemetabolismbyhelpingmaintainconcentrationof
bloodglucosewithinthenormalrange.Livercellsreacttohormonessuchasinsulinand
glucagonlowerthebloodglucoselevelbypolymerizingglucosetoglycogenandincreasethe
bloodglucoselevelbybreakingdownglycogentoglucose.Themostimportantfunctionsofthe
liverincluderelatingtoproteinmetabolismwhichinclude:deaminatingaminoacids,forming
urea,synthesizingplasmaproteinssuchasclottingfactors,andconvertingcertainaminoacids
intootheraminoacids.

CatIntestines

Figure16.Thephotoaboveshowsthecatsintestinesandwhattheyconsistof.Thesmall
intestineismadeupoftheduodenum,jejunum,andileum,andthelargeintestinesaremadeup
ofthececum,ascendingcolon,transversecolon,descendingcolon,sigmoidcolon,andrectum.

Inconclusion,theabovelabsdemonstratedhowthedigestivesystemfunctionsandhowit
processesfood.Thedigestivesystembeginsitsworkthroughchewing,whichtakesplaceinthe
mouth.Thesalivaryglandshelppassthefoodalongaswellasdissolvingfood.Tastebudsgive
thebrainsignalstotellwhetherthefoodisgoodornot.Inthetastebudlab,itwasinferredthat
evenwithnosesblockedwithacottonballcouldstilltastethefood.

Thesalivaryamylaselab,itwasconcludedthatsalivabreaksdownstarchfasterthanwater,
becausesalivahascellsthatbreakdownfood.Inthetastebudlab,itwaspresumedthateating
afoodwhilethenasalpassageisblockeddisablestheabilitytosmellthefood,whichmeans
thatthenasalpassageisnecessaryfortasting,smelling,anddeterminingwhatoneiseating.
ThepHlabshowedhowproteinandothernutrientsaredigested,andthedigestivesystemuses
pHandhydrochloricacidtobreakdownsuchcompoundfoodparticles.

Thecanines,molars,premolars,andincisorsintheteethhelpthedigestionprocessbybreaking
downthefoodintosmallerpiecesmakingiteasiertodigest.Itisessentialforthehumanbodyto
containhydrochloricacidsothefoodcanbedigestedcompletely,aswellasnutrients,suchas
protein.

Thehormonesgastrin,secretin,CCK,GIP,andacetylcholine(ACh)wereusedintheinternal
experimenttoseehowhowtheeffectsofGIhormonesontheratsdigestivesystem.Gastrinis
theonlyhormonedemonstratedtobestronglyreleasedbecauseofneutralstimulation.Gastrin
isreleasedfromGcellsintothebloodstream,thentravelsthroughvenouscirculationtothe
heartandreturnsthrougharterialcirculationtostimulateparietalcellstoreleaseHCland
intrinsicfactor.GastrinisapeptidehormonethatstimulatessecretionofHClbytheparietalcells
inthestomachandgastricmotility.Thesecretinhormoneisresponsibleforregulatingwater
homeostasisthroughoutthebodyandaffectstheenvironmentoftheduodenumbyregulating
secretionsinthestomach,pancreas,andliver.ThehormoneCCKorcholecystokininisa
peptidehormoneofthegastrointestinalsystemthatisresponsibleforstimulatingthedigestion
offatandprotein.CCKtravelsthroughthebloodtothegallbladderandpancreas,asasresult,
thegallbladdercontractstoreleasebile,andpancreaticdigestiveenzymesarereleasedfrom
thepancreas.TheGIPorgastricinhibitorypolypeptideisahormonethatisresponsiblefor
decreasingthesecretionofstomachacidtopreventthesmallintestinefromdamage,anditalso
inducesinsulinsecretion.GIPisreleasedfromtheKcells,andthensecretedmainlyin
responsetofat,andcarbohydratespresentintheduodenum.Thehormoneacetylcholine(ACh)
mayfunctionasanautocrineorparacrinesignalingmoleculesinavarietyofnonneuraltissues.
AChmimicstheactionsoftheparasympatheticnervoussystem.

Thedigestivesystemsallhavedifferentfunctionsforthefoodtobepassedthroughthebody.
Thedigestivesystembeginsinthemouth,thengoestotheesophagus,wherefoodispassed
tothestomach,pancreas,andliver.Afterthefoodpassesthroughthestomach,pancreas,and
liveritgoesthroughthesmallandlargeintestines,whereitpassesthroughallthecolonsthen
travelstotherectum.

(PhotostakenbyRyleMcClaren)Source:1
1

(2002).AdvancesinPhysiologyEducation.RetrievedApril12,2016,from

http://advan.physiology.org/
.