Activity 1 Digestive System

I. Introduction The digestive system is a series of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting tube from the mouth to the anus. This system is important in animals for the proper break down of the food that they take, which will allow them to absorb energy and minerals needed for their living. In this activity, the digestive system of the white-tip reef shark is being examined, to determine its structure and functions. This experiment is important so that the students will be able to study each digestive structure and relate it to other vertebrate organisms.

II. Objectives This laboratory experiment titled Digestive System of the White-tip Reef Shark focuses on the dissection and examination of the different digestive structure of the White-tip Reef shark. The following objectives were formulated to guide the students: 1. To identify the different digestive organs, glands and mesenteries present in the shark sample; 2. To determine the function of each identified digestive organs, glands and mesenteries; 3. To locate the internal position of the digestive organs of the white-tip reef shark.

Discussion After making a cut on the mid-ventral side of the body of the shark, the internal organs, which are mostly digestive organs, have been viewed. Each digestive organs that have been identified are the following: Mouth, Esophagus, Stomach, Rugae, Small Intestine, Duodenum, Ileum, Colon, Rectum, Rectal Glands, Gall bladder, Pylorus, Pancreas, Liver, Spleen, Falciform ligament, Lesser omentum, Mesogaster, Gastrosplenic Ligament, Mesentery, Mesorectum and the Cloaca. Almost all vertebrates have the same structure and functions of its digestive system. Although some vertebrates may differ on the presence or absence of some digestive organs and glands and location, all animals in this group have a digestive system that are considered to be similar and has the same general functions. The mouth is the beginning of the digestive tract; and, in fact, digestion starts here when taking the first bite of food. Chewing breaks the food into pieces that are more easily digested, while saliva mixes with food to begin the process of breaking it down into a form your body can absorb and use. The esophagus, which is located at the anterior part of the J-shaped stomach, receives food from the mouth of the shark when it swallows. By means of a series of muscular contractions called peristalsis, the esophagus delivers food to your stomach. The stomach, which is posterior to the J-shaped organ, holds food while it is being mixed with enzymes that continue the process of breaking down food into a usable form. The inner stomach wall of the shark has longitudinal folds called rugae. The rugae contain ridges that help to aid in the digestion of food. The small region of the stomach is the pylorus. It is located at the end of the stomach, and serves as a connection to the small intestine or the duodenum. The next organ where food passes is the small intestine. The small intestine of the shark is composed of two parts; the duodenum and ileum. The duodenum, which is the first segment of the small intestine of the shark, is short and narrow, which is responsible for the continuous breakdown process of food. The second segment, known as the ileum, is the longer and thicker part of the small intestine of the shark. The ileum is mainly responsible for the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream. The efficiency of absorption is increased with the help of the spiral valve, which increases the intestinal surface area for absorption. The next organ where food passes is the colon. The colon or the large intestine of the shark is short and narrow, which extends to the ileum to the rectal gland. Stool, or waste left over from the digestive process, is passed through the colon by means of peristalsis, first in a liquid state and ultimately in a solid form. As stool passes through the colon, water is removed. Attached dorsally at the junction of the colon and rectum is a blind pocket called the rectal gland which plays an important role in maintaining the proper salt balance in the blood of the shark. The rectum, which is the last portion of the digestive tract, receives stool from the colon. The rectum extends from the colon to the anus. Technically, the opening from the rectum into the cloaca is the anus, and the opening from the cloaca to the exterior is the cloaca opening. The shark that has been used also contains digestive glands, which also aid its digestion. The liver is composed of three parts; the short median lobe and the long right and left lobe. The

liver, which is considered as the sharks largest internal organ, also aids in buoyancy. The liver function within the digestive system is to process the nutrients absorbed from the small intestine. The gall bladder, which is at the right edge of the medium lobe, stores and concentrates bile, and then releases it into the duodenum to help absorb and digest fats. The pancreas of the shark is generally composed of two distinct lobes, the ventral and dorsal lobe. But as we have examined in our shark sample, the dorsal lobe of pancreas is not present, or maybe it was misplaced because of some distortion that happened. The ventral lobe of the shark is flat and round and located at the curve of the duodenum. The pancreas secretes digestive enzymes into the duodenum. These enzymes break down protein, fats, and carbohydrates. The spleen, which is generally a part of the circulatory system, is the dark triangular organ attached around the outer posterior curvature of the stomach. It is not part of the digestive system, but since the structure is clearly emphasized, it is better to mention its presence in the internal organs. The gastrosplenic ligament, which is a mesentery, is connected to this organ, that is also a reason why this organ was included. The visceral mass of the shark also contains mesenteries of two layers of peritoneum, which functions as support to a certain organs and glands. This tissue mainly functions as support and connections to the organs of the shark. The lesser omentum supports the liver and the border of the stomach. The mesogaster extends between the stomach and mid-dorsal body wall. The gastrosplenic ligament connects the stomach and the spleen. The mesentery supports and connects the small intestine to the middorsal body wall of the shark. While the mesorectum connects the rectal gland and rectum to the body wall where this organs are suspended.