DIGESTION AND ABSORPTION

The process of conversion of complex food substances in to simple absorbable forms is called digestion. Human digestive system consists of alimentary canal and associated glands DENTITION Each tooth embedded in a socket of jaw bone.This type of attachment is called thecodont dentition. Most mammals have two types of teeth-milk teeth and permanent teeth.This type of dentition is called diphyodont dentition. Different types of teeth in man Four different type of teeth present. 1. Insciors - 8 2. Canines - 4 3. Premolars - 8 4. Molars - 12 Dental formula of man is 2123 / 2123 Dental formula of milk dentition is 2102 / 2102

Tongue Tongue is attached to the floor of the buccal cavity by frenulum. Tongue posses projections called papillae which bear tastebuds Flow chart of alimentary canal Mouth buccal cavity pharynx oesophagus stomach Small intestine large intestine anus Epiglottis Epiglottis is a cartilaginous flap which prevent the entry of food in to the glottis during swallowing. Stomach Stomach has three regions. 1.anterior cardiac 2.middle fundus 3.posterior pyloric Anatomical regions of human stomach

Human alimentary canal

Small intestine Stomach opens in to small intestine which has three regions. 1.U shaped duodenum 2. long coiled jejenum 3. highly coiled ileum

Large intestine Ileum opens in to large intestine .It has three regions. 1.caecum

2. colon 3.rectum Caecum is a small blind sac which hosts some symbiotic micro organisms . A narrow finger like tubular projection arising from the caecum is known as VERMIFORM APPENDIX ,which is a vestigial organ. COLON Caecum opens in to the colon which has 3 regions. 1. Ascending colon 2. Transverse colon 3. Descending colon The descending colon opens in to the rectum. Rectum opens out through anus. Walls of alimentary canal 1. Serosa 2. Muscularis 3. Submucosa 4. Mucosa The wall of alimentary canal from oesophagus to rectum posses 4 layers. Serosa has thin mesothelium with connective tissue Muscularis has inner circular and outer longitudinal muscles. Submucosa has nerves , blood, and lymph vessels

RUGAE The irregular folds of tissues seen in the mucosal layer of stomach is ruga

VILLI The small finger like projections in the wall of small intestine is known as villi. Villi increases the surface area of absorption. They are supplied with a net work of capillaries and a large lymph vessel called lacteal.

INTESTINAL MUCOSA SHOWING VILLI

DIGESTIVE GLANDS Digestive glands include 1. Salivary glands 2. Cardiac glands 3. Liver 4. Pancreas 5. Intestinal glands Salivary glands Three pairs of salivary glands are present. They secrete saliva . 1. Parotid {cheek} 2. Sub maxillary (submandibular) lower jaw 3. Sub linguals (below the tongue) LIVER Liver is the largest gland It has two lobes Structural unit of liver is hepatic lobules Each lobule is covered by connective tissue sheath called Glissons capsule Secretion of liver is called bile Gall bladder Gall bladder is the organ which stores bile. The duct of gall bladder is known as cystic duct. The cystic duct along with hepatic duct forms a common bile duct. The bile duct and the pancreatic duct open together in to the duodenum as the common hepato pancreatic duct. Sphincter of oddi guard the hepato pancreatic duct.

DIGESTION OF FOOD Digestion in the mouth Food mixes with saliva and is converted to bolus. Saliva contains the enzyme salivary amylase (ptyalin) Ph of saliva is 6.8. Salivary amylase convert starch to a disaccharide called maltose

Saliva contains an anti bacterial enzyme Lysozyme which prevent infections. Bolus enters in to the pharynx and oesophagus by swallowing or deglutition. The wavy movement of food through oesophagus is called peristalsis Gastric glands and their secretions Three type of gastric glands are present in the stomach. 1. Mucus neck cells -secrete mucus 2. Chief cells (peptic cells)-secrete pepsinogen 3. Parietal (oxyntic cells)-secrete HCI and Castleintrinsic factor for absorption of Vit.B12. The digestive juice of stomach is together known as gastric juice

Functions of gastric enzymes

The mucus secreted by the mucus cells protect the mucosal epithelium from the action of HCI and also help in lubrication of food Pepsinogen from the chief cells is inactive.It is converted to active pepsin by the action of HCI Pepsinogen + HCI Pepsin

Pepsin converts proteins to proteoses and pepotones. Proteins pepsin proteoses+peptones

The lipid digesting enzyme present in the stomach is known as gastric lipase Rennin is the enzyme which digest milk protein casein.It is found in infants Chyme is the pasty food formed after mixing with the gastric juice and churning movement of stomach wall Enzymes of pancreatic juice In the duodenum chyme mixes with bile, pancreatic juice and intestinal juice Trypsin , chymotrypsin ,carboxypeptidase,amylases,lipases and nucleases are the enzymes secreted by the pancreas. Trypsin ,chymotrypsin and carboxy peptidase are secreted in the inactive form trypsinogen,chymotrypsinogen andprocarboxy peptidase. The enzyme enterokinase secreted by the intestinal mucosa convert inactive trypsinogen to active trypsin. Trypsin activates the other inactive pancreatic enzymes. Function of bile Bile contains the pigments bilirubin and biliverdin.Bile also contains bile salts , cholestrol and phospholipids but no enzymes. The main function of bile is emulsification of fats .It is the breaking down of fats into very small particles called micells Enzymes of intestinal juice The secretions of intestinal juice is known as succus entericus. Succus entericus contains the enzymes such as maltase ,dipeptidase ,lipases,nucleosidases etc.

Digestion of proteins

The proteins proteoses and peptones in the chyme are acted up on by the proteolytic enzymes in the intestinal juice and pancreatic juice. Proteins Peptones Proteoses carboxypeptidase aminoacids trypsin/chymotrypsin dipeptides

Dipeptides dipeptidase

Digestion of carbohydrates Carbohydrates in the chyme are hydrolysed by pancreatic amylase in to disaccharides such as maltose ,lactose, sucrose. Polysaccharides(starch) amylase disaccharides Maltose maltase glucose + glucose Lactose lactase glucose + galactose Sucrose sucrase glucose + fructose Digestion of fat Fats are broken down in to diglycerides and monoglycerides by the action of lipases with the help of bile. Fats lipases diglycerides monoglycerides Di and monoglycerides lipases fatty acids + glycerol Digestion of nucleic acids Nucleic acids are digested by the nucleases in to nucleotides and nucleosides. Nucleotides nucleotidases nucleosides Nucleosides nucleosidases sugars +bases Functions of large intestine The undigested and unabsorbed substances are passed to the large intestine . No significant digestive activity takes place here. In large intestine absorption of some water ,minerals and certain drugs occurs. Secretion of mucus from large intestine helps in adhering the waste particles together and lubricating it for an easy passage. ABSORPTION OF DIGESTED FOOD Absorption of food materials is mainly carried out by 3 mechanisms . 1. Active transport 2. Passive transport 3. Facilitated transport Small amounts of glucose ,aminoacids ,chloride ions are absorbed by simple diffusion. Active transport Absorption by utilizing energy is known as active transport . Eg. Absorption of aminoacids , glucose Facilitated transport Absorption with the help of carrier ions is called facilitated transport. Eg. Absorption of fructose and aminoacids with the help of carrier ions like Na+.

Absorption of fat The end products of fat digestion monoglycerides ,diglycerides and fatty acids are insoluble in water . So they can not be absorbed directly. With the help of bile salts and phospholipids , the end product of fat digestion are converted in to small spherical water soluble droplets called MICELLS Micells are reformed in to very small protein coated fat globules called CHYLOMICRONS , which are absorbed by lymph vessels called lacteals in the villi Absorption in different parts of the alimentary canal mouth stomach Small intestine Large intestine

Certain drugs

Water Simple sugar alcohol

Almost all digested food materials Minerals vitamins

Water Some minerals and certain drugs

Disorders of digestive system JAUNDICE It is a condition in which the skin and eyes turn yellow due to the deposition of bile pigments .It indicates the damage of liver. VOMITING It is the ejection of stomach content through the mouth . Vomiting reflex is controlled by the medulla . A feeling of nausea precedes vomiting DIARRHOEA The frequent elimination of watery faeces is called diarrhoea .It reduces the absorption of food.

Notes Prepared by BIJU T L HSST Zoology GHSS Mylachal, Tvpm