Digestive System

• Digestion-is the process

wherein food is broken down
into small molecules that the
body can use to nourish the
cells and provide energy.
• Mechanical Phase of
Digestion-food is broken
down into pieces by the
process of chewing or
mastication
• Chemical Phase-food is acted
upon by chemical substances
called enzymes
• Enzyme is secreted with
digestive juices.
• Enzymes acted on food
change them to simplest form
that can be absorbed by body
cells
• THE MOUTH
• Digestion begins in the mouth
or oral cavity. Contains the
following structure and their
function:
• Teeth-break down food into
small pieces
• Tongue-muscular organ mixes
food with the saliva and at the
same time aids in swallowing,
contains also the taste buds
• Ducts of Salivary Gland-
secrete saliva that lubricates
food. Saliva contains enzymes
that help in the chemical
digestion of carbohydrates
• Palate-anterior:hard palate,
posterior: soft palate
• In the mouth the food is
mechanically and
chemically digested.
• Bolus- ball shaped mass
of food that is chewed
and lubricated with saliva
in the mouth
• THE PHARYNX/throat
• Is located at the back of the
mouth. 5 to 6 inches long.
• Common passageway of
digestion and respiration
(breathing and swallowing)
• Opening that leads to trachea is
always open. A sphincter
muscle covers the esophagus
so air freely enters the trachea
• The act of swallowing reflex
relax the sphincter muscle and
raises the epiglottis to cover
the opening of trachea so food
will not enter you nasal cavity
• ESOPHAGUS
• Is a muscular tube in
which food passes from
the pharynx to the
stomach. The food
(bolus) is transported by
the esophagus into the
stomach via wave like
contraction called
peristalsis (looks like an
ocean wave)
• STOMACH
• Is the expanded organ located
between esophagus and small
intestine. Elastic, pear shape organ
• 30.5 cm long and 15.2 cm wide
• Capacity of 0.94 Liters in an adult
• Food stay in the stomach for 2 to 6
hours
• 3 functions: stores the swallowed
food, mixes the food with gastric
juice it produce and conveys its
content to slowly to small
intestine
• RUGAE- interior folds in the
stomach, within this are the gastric
glands composed of many
different kind of cells:
• Different kinds of cells:
Mucous-secreting cells (alkaline
mucus)- protect stomach lining from
stress and corroding effects of the
acid
Parietal Cells (hydrochloric acid)
Zymogenic Cells (protein digesting
enzymes and G cells that secretes
hormone gastrin)
• Secretion of all these cells
comprise the gastric juice
• Chyme-semi-fluid partly digested
food
• As the food is churned
(contraction) in the stomach the
sphincter muscle on both sides of
the stomach is closed, occasional
backflow of chime cause heart
burn
DIGESTIVE JUICE SOURCE DIGESTIVE WORKS ON CHANGES IT TO
ENZYME

Saliva Salivary Glands Ptyalin (salivary Starch Complex Sugar

amylase) and
mucin

Gastric Juice Gastric Glands in Pepsin Proteins Simpler Proteins

the Stomach

Pancreatic Juice Pancreas Pancreatic Starch Complex Sugar

Amylase
Trypsin Proteins Simpler Proteins
Lipase Fats Fatty Acid and
Glycero;
Intestinal Juice Intestinal Glands Lactose, Complex Sugar Simple Sugar
in small intestine Maltase,Sucrase
Paptidase Simpler Proteins Amino Acids
Lipase Fats Fatty Acids and
glycerol
• SMALL INTESTINE
• Is considered as the organ of
complete digestion and
absorption
• It secretes enzymes that change
food into simplest components
• Longest organ of the digestive
system. 6 meters (20 feet) long
and 2.5 cm in diameter (adult)
• 3 sections:
1. Duodenum- 25 cm long,
shortest and fixed part
2. Jejunum- 1.4 m long middle
and freely movable portion
3. Ileum- 3.5 m long is the
longest and highly coiled part
• LARGE INTESTINE/ COLON
• 1.5 meters long and 5 cm in
diameter.
• 3 function:
1. temporary stores fecal
materials
2. absorbs vitamins produced by
certain symbiotic bacteria in
the colon
3. Reabsorbs water from
undigested residue
3 Parts:
Ascending colon, transverse colon
and descending colon

.
• *the proximal part of
ascending colon is a cecum, a
blind sac that bears the
vermiform appendix
• The distal end of the
descending colon is the
sigmoid colon
• THE RECTUM AND ANUS
Rectum -located at the distal end
of the sigmoid colon. 8 inches long
-warehouse for the undigested
food residue or feces.
Anal Canal or Anus - At the end
part of the rectum
-portal of exit for fecal material
 Different Accessory Organs of Digestion
Exocrine glands- they have ducts 3 types:
and opening that secrete Parotid – 2 below and in front of
chemical substances into the the ears
organs of digestion to facilitate
digestive process Sublingual- 2 under the tongue
SALIVARY GLANDS Submandibular- 2 under the
-located in the mouth lower jaw
-secretes saliva (combination of
watery fluid (serous fluid) and
mucus
-1 liter of saliva is secreted
everyday
-Mucus part of saliva lubricates
mouth and aids in swallowing
-Serous Part –contains amylase
ptyalin for carbohydrates
digestion in the mouth
 • LIVER AND GALL BLADDER
• Liver – largest organ in the
body, right side upper part of
the abdomen
• production of bile
• Protein synthesis, iron
storage, detoxification
• bile- emulsify fats and
neutralize acidity of partly
digested food (chyme)
• Gall Bladder- storage of bile
• 500 to 1000 mL of bile is
stored and concentrated in
liver everyday
 • PANCREAS
• Is a large elongated gland located at the back of the stomach
• Yellowish organ 18 cm long and 4 cm wide.
• Function as exocrine and endocrine glands
• Secretes the hormone insulin control blood sugar level and utilization of
carbohydrates
• Endocrine Part
• Islet of Langerhans - large spherical clusters secretes hormones important
in metabolism of sugar
• Exocrine Part-
• pancreatic acini – secrete digestive enzyme directly to duodenum
• 4 enzyme: amylase, trypsin, steapsin and nuclease
 Absorption of Food
• Absorption in the Small
Intestine
After 5 hours most of the food in
the small intestine is digested
Proteins are broken down into
individual amino acid
Carbohydrates (starch,sugar) are
broken down into simple sugar
Fats are broken down into fatty
acids and glycerol
They are absorbed or taken into the
bloodstream through the walls of
the small intestine
Villi- millions of finger like structure
in the lining of small intestine ,
digested food is absorbed by the villi
specially in the jejunum and ileum
into a network of blood vessels that
carry nutrients to all parts of the
body
Absorption in Large Intestine
• Main function of large
intestine is to absorb water
and mineral salts from
undigested materials in the
small intestine
• After 18 to 24 hours in the
large intestine most of the
water that is contained in
undigested food is
absorbed. Helpful bacteria
residents of the large
intestine make certain
vitamins such as vitamin K
and two B vitamins
 Factors Affecting Enzymes
-,they worked well in temperature ranging from 30°C to 40
°C beyond and below this temperature enzymes are
inactivated
-pH pertains to the relative acidity of the medium where
the substance is located (pepsin=acidic medium, enzyme in
the small intestine= alkaline medium)
-classified based on the substrate they work
a. lipase=fats=fatty acid and glycerol
b. Proteases and peptidases=proteins=amino acid
c. Carbohydrases=carbohydrates= simple sugar
d. Nucleases=nucleic acid=nucleotides
DIGESTIVE JUICE SOURCE DIGESTIVE WORKS ON CHANGES IT TO
ENZYME

Saliva Salivary Glands Ptyalin (salivary Starch Complex Sugar

amylase) and
mucin

Gastric Juice Gastric Glands in Pepsin Proteins Simpler Proteins

the Stomach

Pancreatic Juice Pancreas Pancreatic Starch Complex Sugar

Amylase
Trypsin Proteins Simpler Proteins
Lipase Fats Fatty Acid and
Glycero;
Intestinal Juice Intestinal Glands Lactose, Complex Sugar Simple Sugar
in small intestine Maltase,Sucrase
Paptidase Simpler Proteins Amino Acids
Lipase Fats Fatty Acids and
glycerol
 Assimilation of Nutrients
Nutrients absorbed by the cells
provide fuel for energy, nutrients
are also used as raw materials for
biosynthesis of other organic
molecules.
Assimilation-process of transport
and used of absorbed nutrients
 Glucose, fructose and
galactose are absorbed by the
capillaries and brought to the
liver
 Fatty acid and glycerol are
absorbed by the lacteal
vessels and brought to the
lymphatic circulation
Roles of Hormone in the Digestive
System
Hormones-chemical messengers,
signals the organs to perform
different action
Gastrin- secreted by G cells in
stomach, secreted upon smelling,
seeing and tasting food. Stimulate
secretion of gastric juice
Secretin-secreted by S cells in
small intestine, triggers secretion
of pancreatic bicarbonate ions and
enzyme pepsin
Cholecystokinin-secreted by I cells
(lining of small intestine).
Stimulate gallbladder contraction
and bile flow
 Elimination of Waste Materials
• Materials that are not absorbed in the large intestine form solid
waste known as feces
• Feces- is made up of dead bacteria and some fat and protein,
expelled through the anus
• Egestion, Defecation, or Bowel Movements-process of removing
undigested matter from the body
STRUCTURE PRIMARY FUNCTION TIME FOOD STAY

Mouth Mechanical and chemical digestion 5-30 seconds

Esophagus Transport of food after swallowing 7 to 10 seconds

Stomach Mechanical and chemical digestion 2-24 hours

Small Intestine Absorption of nutrients 3-5 hours

Large Intestine Water absorption 18 hours to 2 days

 Problems Involving the Digestive System
PICA
an eating disorder