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Unit 8: Physiology of Human Body Learning Aim C
- Institution
- PEARSON (PEARSON)
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Unit 8: Physiology of human body systemsExplore the physiology of the digestive system and the use of the corrective
treatments for nutritional deficiency
Nutrition and Health
Digestive system organs and functions
Mouth
The digestive system begins in your mouth when you chew, the teeth breaks down the food into
smaller parts and mix it with saliva (98% water and has mineral and enzymes) a soft mass or bolus is
formed and is ready for swallowing, during the mix of the saliva and the food, an enzyme called
salivary amylase which is secreted by the salivary glands breaks down carbohydrates, until the food
is soft and flexible, the tongue and the cheeks push the bolus backwards into the Pharynx (The
pharynx allows the passage of swallowed food that includes solids and liquids into the esophagus).
Saliva is also secreted by the salivary glands. (Anatomy and Physiology in Health and Illness)
Functions:
- Chemical: In digestion of the food as you eat the salivary glands secretes an important
enzyme which is salivary amylase. These enzymes break down carbohydrates into
disaccharides, such as maltose.
- Physical: The food is chew by the teeth and moved around the mouth by the tongue and
cheeks, the cheeks are muscles which help the food to be mixed with saliva and form the
bolus, the tongue helps with the chewing and swallowing other functions are taste sensation
by the taste buds.
, Esophagus
The esophagus is a flattened muscular tube that connects your mouth to your stomach, it’s about 25
cm long. The esophagus curves upwards before opening into the stomach, this sharp angle is believed
to be one of the factors that prevents backflow of gastric contents into the esophagus. Once the
esophagus receives food from your mouth when you swallow, the epiglottis is a small flap which folds
over your trachea while eating to prevent choking, as food is swallowed the process is automatic, the
brain sends signals to your muscles in the esophagus so peristalsis (muscle contractions) begins,
which will allow food to move through the digestive system, the esophagus secretes a large volume of
mucus which assist the passage of the bolus during the peristaltic contraction of the muscular wall.
(Anatomy and Physiology in Health and Illness)
Functions:
- Chemical: There’s no chemical changes in the esophagus, but salivary amylase continues
digestion, enzymes are not produced in the esophagus.
- Physical: Peristalsis occurs here this is a muscular contraction, which helps the food to move
along the esophagus into the stomach.
Stomach
The stomach receives food and once it receives it the stomach muscles mix the food with the digestive
juices, cells in the lining of the stomach secretes acid and enzymes that are responsible for breakdown
process, this includes the enzyme called pepsin that digest proteins (Pepsin is the active form of the
inactive protein pepsinogen) and hydrochloric acid which once the content of the stomach are
processed enough becomes a liquid called chyme, and then it’s passed down into the small intestine.
The enzymes are produced by the stomach lining as proenzymes (pepsinogen) and they are activated
by the hydrochloric acid and effectively they develop their function in the small intestine. (Anatomy
and Physiology in Health and Illness)
Functions:
- Chemical: The enzyme pepsin is secreted by the chief cells in the stomach by the inactive
form of pepsinogen. Gastric lipase breaks down triglycerides and the hydrochloric acid helps
to convert pepsinogen into pepsin. The highly acidic environment kills microorganisms in the
food.
- Physical: Contraction and relaxation of smooth muscles mixes the stomach contents, the
pyloric sphincter (ring of smooth muscle) helps to regulate the movements of chyme into the
small intestine. (pubmed.gov)
Liver
The liver makes a digestive juice called bile that helps digest fats and some vitamins. Bile ducts carry
bile from your liver to your gallbladder for storage, or the small intestine for use. It's often said that
the liver it’s the body’s factory, because it uses raw chemicals to make different chemicals that your
body needs.
Function:
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