ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

OF DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

Digestive System
Function
Acquires nutrients from environment
Anabolism
Uses raw materials to synthesize essential

compounds

Catabolism
Decomposes substances to provide energy

cells need to function

Actions of Digestive (GI)

Tract
Secretion
Ingestion

Occurs when material

enters via the mouth

Mechanical

Processing

Crushing / Shearing

makes material easier

to move through the
tract

Digestion

Chemical breakdown

of food into small

organic compounds for
absorption

Release of water acids,

buffers, enzymes &

salts by epithelium of
GI tract and glandular
organs

Absorption

Movement of organic

substrates, electrolytes,
vitamins & water across
digestive epithelium

Excretion

Removal of waste

products from body

fluids

Mouth
Soft Palate
Posterior Roof
Uvula
Projection of soft
palate
Lingiuinal Frenulum
Attaches tongue to
mouth floor
Hard Palate
Anterior roof

Pharynx
Passageway for food and air

Esophagus
Tube carries food to stomach
Peristalsis
Muscle contractions that move the food

Stomach
Cardioesophageal

Sphincter
Opening at top of stomach

Gastric Juice
Stomach acid

Chyme
Substance left after

stomach digestion

Pyloric Sphincter
Opening at bottom of

stomach leads to
intestines

Salivary Glands
Parotid glands- near

ears in mouth
Submandibular and
sublingual glands
Produce saliva under

tongue

Saliva
Moistens food
Helps start startch
digestion

Teeth
Deciduous teeth
Baby teeth
Incisors- cut food
Canines- tear and

pierce food
Molars- grinding

Liver and Gall Bladder

Produces bile
Bile enters small

intestine
Helps breakdown
lipids
Gall bladder stores
bile

Pancreas
Produces enzymes

that break food down

Empties into small
intestine
Neutralizes gastric
acid
Produces insulin and
glucagon

Large Intestine
Is horseshoe shaped
Extends from end of ileum to anus
Lies inferior to stomach and liver
Frames the small intestine
Also called large bowel
Is about 1.5 meters (4.9 ft) long and 7.5

cm (3 in.) wide

Large Intestine Functions

Reabsorption of

water
Compaction of
intestinal contents
into feces
Absorption of
important vitamins
produced by
bacteria
Storage of fecal
material prior to
defecation

Parts of Large Intestine

The Cecum

Is an expanded pouch
Receives material arriving

from the ileum

Stores materials and
begins compaction
Appendix
Also called vermiform

appendix
Is a slender, hollow

appendage about 9 cm (3.6

in.) long
Is dominated by lymphoid

nodules (a lymphoid organ)

Parts of Large Intestine

The Colon
Has a larger diameter and thinner wall than
small intestine
The wall of the colon

Forms a series of pouches (haustra)

Haustra permit expansion and elongation of

colon

Parts of Colon

Ascending Colon

Begins at superior border of cecum

Ascends along right lateral and posterior wall of

peritoneal cavity to inferior surface of the liver and bends

at right colic flexure (hepatic flexure)

Transverse Colon
Crosses abdomen from right to left; turns at left colic

flexure (splenic flexure)

Is supported by transverse mesocolon
Is separated from anterior abdominal wall by greater

omentum

Parts of Colon
The Descending Colon
Proceeds inferiorly along left side to the iliac fossa

(inner surface of left ilium)

Is retroperitoneal, firmly attached to abdominal wall

The Sigmoid Colon

Is an S-shaped segment, about 15 cm (6 in.) long
Starts at sigmoid flexure
Lies posterior to urinary bladder
Is suspended from sigmoid mesocolon
Empties into rectum

Parts of Colon

Parts of Large Intestine

The Rectum

Forms last 15 cm (6 in.) of

digestive tract
Is an expandable organ for
temporary storage of feces
Movement of fecal material
into rectum triggers urge to
defecate

The anal canal is the last

portion of the rectum

Contains small longitudinal folds

called anal columns

Anus

Also called anal orifice

Is exit of the anal canal
Has keratinized epidermis

like skin

Physiology of the Large Intestine

Absorption in the Large Intestine
Reabsorption of water
Reabsorption of bile salts

In the cecum

Transported in blood to liver

Absorption of vitamins produced by bacteria

Absorption of organic wastes

Physiology of the Large Intestine

Three Vitamins Produced in the Large Intestine
1.

Vitamin K (fat soluble):

Required by liver for synthesizing four clotting factors,

including prothrombin

2.

Biotin (water soluble):

3.

Important in glucose metabolism

Pantothenic acid: B5 (water soluble):

Required in manufacture of steroid hormones and

some neurotransmitters

Physiology of the Large Intestine

Organic Wastes
Bacteria convert bilirubin to urobilinogens

and stercobilinogens
Bacteria break down peptides in feces and

generate
Ammonia,

Indole & skatole, hydrogen sulfide

Bacteria feed on indigestible carbohydrates

(complex polysaccharides)
Produce

flatus, or intestinal gas, in large intestine

Movements of the
Large
Intestine

Gastroileal & gastroenteric

reflexes
Move materials into cecum while

you eat
Movement from cecum to

transverse colon is very slow,

allowing hours for water
absorption
Peristaltic waves move material

along length of colon

Segmentation movements

(haustral churning) mix

contents of adjacent haustra

Movements from transverse

colon through rest of large
intestine results from powerful
peristaltic contractions (mass
movements)

Stimulus is distension of

stomach and duodenum;

relayed over intestinal nerve
plexuses
Distension of the rectal wall

triggers defecation reflex

Two positive feedback loops
Both loops triggered by stretch

receptors in rectum

Small intestine
Is part of the GI tract between the stomach

and the large intestine

It is where digestion and absorption takes
place
Is about 6 meters long
Compost of three parts: duodenum, jejunum,
and the ileum

3 parts of the small

intestine
Jejunum- midsection of the

small intestine,

- connects the
duodenum and the ileum

- contains the
plicae circulares, and villi
that increase its surface
area.

- it is where
products of digestion such
as amino acids, sugars, and
fatty acids are absorbed
into the bloodstream here

Duodenum- The digestive

enzymes break down

proteins and bile and
emulsify fats into micelles

- It receives
gastric chyme from the
stomach, together with
digestive juices from the
pancreas (digestive
enzymes) and the liver
(bile).

- contains
Brunner's glands, which
produce a mucus-rich
alkaline secretion
containing bicarbonate.

Ileum- is the final

section of the small

intestine

- joins to the
cecum of the large
intestine at the
ileocecal junction.

- contains
also villi similar to
the jejunum

Functions of the small intestine

Digestion
Absorption

Digestion
it is where most

chemical digestion
takes place
It is where nutrients
undergo digestion such
as proteins, lipids, and
carbohydrates
It is where digestive
enzymes act secreted
by the pancreas and
the liver

Absorption
most of the nutrients

from ingested food

are absorbed
Most absorptions of
the occurs in the
jejunum and
duodenum