This is a summary of the Anatomy of the Human Body's Digestive System. It covers the major functions, regions, characteristics, and labeling of colored structures and diagrams in depth.
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Label the regions of the digestive tract.
The digestive system consists of the digestive tract and accessory organs. Figure 24.1
o The digestive tract is a tube extending from the mouth to the anus. It is also called
the gastrointestinal tract. The accessory organs include the salivary glands, liver,
gallbladder and pancreas.
o The digestive tract and accessory organs include:
1. The oral cavity; including tongue, teeth and salivary glands.
2. Pharynx
3. Esophagus
4. Stomach
5. Small intestine, consisting of; duodenum, jejunum and ileum. As well as the
liver, gallbladder and pancreas.
6. Large intestine, consisting of; cecum, colon, rectum, anal canal and anus.
Describe the major functions of the digestive system.
There are six (6) major functions of the digestive system:
1. Ingestion and Mastication: Ingestion is the intake of solid or liquid food into the
stomach, usually through the mouth.
Mastication is the process by which the teeth chew food in the mouth to begin the
digestive process. It is vital for food to be broken down into smaller particles as
digestive enzymes cannot easily penetrate solid food particles.
, 2
2. Propulsion and mixing: Propulsion is the movement of food from one end of the
digestive tract to the other.
Mixing is the movement of food back and forth in the digestive tract, without
forward movement. The total time for food to travel the length of the digestive tract
is usually 24-36 hours and each segment of the digestive tract is specialized in
moving contents from one end to the other of the tract.
3. Secretion: secretions are added to lubricate, liquefy, buffer and digest food and
protect the tract.
Mucous coats and protects the epithelial cells of the tract from stomach acid,
digestive enzymes and mechanical abrasion.
The secretions also contain water, which liquifies food, making digestion and
absorption easier.
Enzymes secreted by the oral cavity, stomach, small intestine and pancreas break
down large food molecules into smaller molecules that can be absorbed by the
intestinal wall.
4. Digestion: Digestion is the breakdown of large molecules into their component
parts. Digestion consists of mechanical digestion and chemical digestion.
Mechanical digestion involves mastication and mixing of food.
Chemical digestion is accomplished by digestive enzymes secreted along the
digestive tract.
Large molecules of food need to be broken down into smaller components before
they can be absorbed by the digestive tract.
5. Absorption: This is the movement of food out of the digestive tract and into the
blood or lymphatic system.
6. Elimination: is the process by which waste products of digestion are removed from
the body.
During this process, which mostly occurs in the large intestine, water and salts are
absorbed, changing the material in the digestive tract from liquefied to semisolid.
This semisolid waste products are called feces, and is stored in the distal end of the
large intestine until eliminated by a process called defecation.
Recognize the peritoneum and its function.
o The walls and organs of the abdominal cavity are lined with serous membranes
called the peritoneum.
o These membranes are very smooth and secrete a serous fluid which provides a
lubricating film between layers of the membranes. The fluid and membranes reduce
friction as organs move within the abdominal cavity.
o The Peritoneum which covers organs in known as the visceral peritoneum and the
peritoneum which lines the inside of the abdominal cavity is the parietal peritoneum.
o Inflammation of the membranes is called peritonitis and it is a potentially life-
threatening condition.
o Accumulation of excess fluid within the peritoneal cavity is called ascites, and this
can occur with peritonitis. Ascites can also occur with starvation, malnutrition,
alcoholism or liver cancer.
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