Arif Pandega,MD

2010 Pearson Education, Inc.

What Are?
Digestion: The process of breaking down food into
individual molecules small enough to be absorbed through
the intestinal wall
Absorption: The process of moving nutrients from the
gastrointestinal (GI) tract into the bloodstream
Transport: The process of moving absorbed nutrients
throughout the body through the circulatory and lymph
systems
Elimination: The excretion of undigested and unabsorbed
food through the feces

Figure 3.1
Figure 3.4

The stomach usually
empties completely
within3-4 hours after a
meal.
The rate of gastric
emptying depends on the
contents of the stomach
as well as duodenal
factors


Concentration of
hydrogen ions in a
solution
The more hydrogen ions
(H

) the more acidic

The more hydroxide
ions (OH

) the more
basic
Villi require proper nutrients or will
deteriorate and flatten causing
malabsorption
Figure 3.5
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Small Intestine
Most digestion occurs in the small intestines
Extends from the pyloric sphincter to the ileocecal valve
Contains three sections
Duodenum
Jejunum
Ileum
Takes 3 to 10 hours for food to traverse the small intestine
Figure 3.6
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Large Intestine
Site of water, sodium, potassium, and chloride absorption
Bacteria produces vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, biotin,
and vitamin B
12

Only biotin and vitamin K can be absorbed
In the large intestine, 1 liter of fluid material is gradually
reduced to 200 grams of brown fecal material
Brown color is due to unabsorbed iron mixed with
yellowish-orange substance called bilirubin
Greater the iron content, the darker the feces
Figure 3.1
Final stage of
defecation is
influenced by
age, diet,
prescription
medications,
health, and
abdominal
muscle tone
Figure 3.7
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The Accessory Organs
Liver
Is the first organ to receive absorbed nutrients from the
portal vein
Is essential in carbohydrate metabolism
Produces proteins
Manufactures bile salts that are used to digest fats
Is the site of alcohol metabolism
Removes and degrades toxins and excess hormones
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The Accessory Organs
Gallbladder
Receives bile from the liver via common hepatic duct
Releases bile into small intestine via common bile duct
Pancreas
Endocrine function releases hormones to maintain
blood glucose levels
Exocrine function secretes digestive enzymes into the
small intestine
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Propelling Food through the GI Tract
Food is propelled through the GI tract by synchronized
contractions of the diagonal, circular, and longitudinal
muscles
Two primary contractions are
Peristalsis Squeezes food through the GI tract
Segmentation Shifts food back and forth along the GI
tract
- Allows contact with surface of small and large
intestine and increase absorption
Dependent on coordination between muscles, nerves, and
hormones
Figure 3.8
Figure 3.10
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Nutrient Absorption
Majority of absorption takes place in the small intestine
Nutrients are absorbed via
- Passive diffusion nutrients move from high
concentration to low concentration; no energy is
required
- Facilitated diffusion nutrients move from high
concentration to low concentration with the help of a
carrier protein; no energy is required
- Active transport nutrients move from low
concentration to high concentration with the help of a
carrier protein, energy is required
- Endocytosis cell forms a vesicle to surround and
engulf a nutrient
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Nutrient Absorption
Some absorption takes place in the stomach and large
intestine
Water and salt are absorbed in the large intestine
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Water-soluble
nutrients
GI tract
Capillaries
Water-
soluble
nutrients
Hepatic
Portal Vein
Water-
soluble
nutrients
Liver
Transportation of Nutrients Throughout
the Body
Nutrients are absorbed into the circulatory or lymphatic
system
Water-soluble nutrients are absorbed into the circulatory
system
- Carbohydrates, amino acids, and water-soluble
vitamins
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Fat-
soluble
nutrients
Lymph
Capillaries
Fat-
soluble
nutrients
Lymphatic
vessels
Fat-
soluble
nutrients
Thoracic
Duct
Transportation of Nutrients Throughout
the Body
Fat-soluble nutrients are absorbed into the lymphatic
system
- Fat-soluble vitamins, long-chain fatty acids, and
proteins too large to be transported via the capillaries