Chapter 8 - The Digestive System

The Alimentary Canal

What Is the Digestive System Responsible For?

The intake and digestion of food.
The absorption of nutrients from digested food.
The elimination of waste products.

Word Parts R/T the Digestive System

Mouth = or/o
Pharynx = pharyng/o
Esophagus = esophag/o
Stomach = gastr/o
Small intestines = enter/o

Word Parts R/T the Digestive System

Large intestines = col/o
Rectum & anus = an/o, proct/o, rect/o
Liver = hepat/o
Gallbladder = cholecyst/o
Pancreas = pancreat/o

Structures of The Gastrointestinal Tract

Upper GI tract =
Mouth
Esophagus
Stomach
Lower GI tract =
Small intestines
Large intestines
Rectum
Anus

The Palate
Palate roof of the mouth.
Hard (anterior).
Soft (posterior)closes off nasal passage during swallowing.
Rugae irregular folds in the mucous membrane, cover anterior portion of hard
palate and stomach.
Uvula hangs from free end of soft
palate. It helps in producing sounds and
Speech and the gag reflex

The Tongue
Contains papillae or taste buds.
Underside of tongue is highly vascular.
Teeth
Crown part of tooth visible in mouth.
Root holds tooth securely. Held in place by cementum.
Teeth
Crown & root meet at the dentin makes up bulk of tooth, protected by enamel &
cementum.
Pulp chamber inner area of crown and runs downward to form the root canals.
Pulp made of rich supply of blood vessels and nerves.

Teeth
Dentition natural teeth arranged in the mouth
Edentulous without teeth
Teeth
4 types
Incisors
Canines (cuspids)- bitting and tearing
Premolars (bicuspids)
Molars chewing and grinding.

Teeth
Permanent dentition 32 teeth
8 incisors
4 canines
8 premolars
12 molars
Occlusion any contact between the chewing surface of the maxillary and
mandibular teeth.
What Do The Salivary Glands Do?
Secrete saliva to moisten food.
3 pairs.
Parotid glands in front of and slightly lower than each ear.
Sublingual glands located on the underside of the tongue.
Submandibular glands located on the floor of the mouth.

Pharynx
Throat - common passageway for both food and air
The Esophagus
Connects pharynx to stomach.
The esophageal or cardiac sphincter controls flow between the esophagus and the
stomach.
The Stomach
Produces gastric acid for digestion.
The pylorus is the narrow passage connecting the stomach to the small intestine.
The pyloric sphincter located here.
Rugae folds in mucosa lining. Glands in these folds produce gastric juices for
digestion and mucus that forms protective coating of lining of stomach.

The Small Intestines What Happens Here?

Nutrients from food are absorbed into the bloodstream
20 feet long coiled

What Are the Parts of The Small Intestine?

Duodenum.
Jejunum.
Ileum.
The ileocecal sphincter controls flow from ileum into cecum of large intestine.

The Cecum
A pouch that extends from end of the ilium to beginning of colon.
The vermiform appendix hangs from the lower portion.

The Liver
Stores glucose as glycogen. Converts glycogen back to glucose when needed by
body.
Destroys old erythrocytes, removes toxins from blood.
Makes some blood proteins.
Secretes bile (made from bilirubin), a digestive enzyme that breaks down fat.

The Gallbladder
Stores and concentrates bile.
Forces bile out the cystic duct and into common bile duct to duodenum.

Pancreas
Makes and secretes pancreatic juices.
Sodium bicarbonate to help neutralize stomach acids.
Digestive enzymes to process protein, carbohydrates and fats.
These juices leave through pancreatic duct into common bile duct.

Digestion
Digestion process by which complex foods are broken down into nutrients in a
form the body can use.
Enzymes responsible for chemical changes that break down food into simpler
forms of nutrients for use by body.
Nutrient substance, usually from food, that is necessary for normal functioning of
the body.
Metabolism
Metabolism sum of anabolism and catabolism.
Anabolism building up of body cells.
Catabolism breaking down of body cells.
Metabolism
Absorbtion process by which completely digested nutrients are taken into the
circulation by passing thru capillaries located in walls of small intestine.
Fats & fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed into the lymphatic system through villi
lining walls of small intestines.

Mastication chewing breaks down food.

Peristalsis wavelike contractions of smooth muscles in single direction.
Chyme semifluid mass of partly digested food that passes from stomach.
Specialists R/T Digestive System
Dentist .
Gastroenterologist.
Internist .
Specialists R/T Digestive System
Orthodontist preventing & correcting abnormalities in positioning of the teeth
and r/t facial structures.
Periodontist prevents and treats disorders of the tissues surrounding the teeth.
Proctologist txs d/os of the colon, rectum, and anus.

Peptic Ulcer
A lesion of the mucous membranes of digestive tract.
Gastric ulcers occur in the stomach.
Duodenal ulcers upper part of small intestine (most common).
Perforating ulcer erodes thru entire thickness of organ wall.

Eating Disorders
Anorexia nervosa
Bulimia
Malnutrition
Pica -

Ileus -

Acid blockers
Antiemetic
Emetic
Laxatives
Oral rehydration therapy -