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Digestive System Anatomy & Physiology

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Terms in this set (29)

  • Main functions of the digestive system

    Fuel the body, provide energy, support cell growth, break down food, absorb nutrients, and excrete waste.

  • Organs of the alimentary canal

    Oral cavity, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine.

  • Accessory digestive organs

    Teeth, tongue, pancreas, gallbladder, liver.

  • Six processes of food disassembly

    Ingestion, propulsion, mechanical digestion, chemical digestion, absorption, defecation.

  • Location and lining of the abdominal pelvic cavity

    Contains most digestive organs; lined by a serous membrane producing peritoneal fluid for lubrication.

  • Peritoneal cavity components

    Visceral peritoneum (covers organs) and parietal peritoneum (lines cavity walls).

  • Function of mesenteries

    Stabilize and connect organs; double-layered peritoneum suspending intestines and storing fat.

  • Examples of ventral mesenteries that persist

    Lesser omentum and falciform ligament.

  • Greater omentum function

    Contains adipose tissue for insulation and protection of abdominal organs.

  • Role of enteroendocrine cells

    Secrete hormones like GIP, GLP-1, and cholecystokinin to regulate digestion.

  • Layers of the mucosa

    Epithelial layer and lamina propria (areolar tissue with blood and lymph vessels).

  • Muscularis externa function

    Smooth muscle layers that produce peristalsis to move food along the digestive tract.

  • Difference between serosa and adventitia

    Serosa is a protective covering of muscularis externa in most digestive organs; adventitia is connective tissue outer layer in esophagus and rectum.

  • Epithelium types in the digestive tract

    Stratified squamous epithelium in oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, anus; simple columnar epithelium in stomach and intestines.

  • Peristalsis mechanism

    Circular muscles contract behind bolus; longitudinal muscles contract in front to push food forward.

  • Segmentation purpose

    Mixes food with digestive secretions to increase nutrient absorption.

  • Functions of the oral cavity

    Sensory analysis, lubrication, chewing, and digestion of carbohydrates and proteins.

  • Salivary glands and their secretions

    Parotid (salivary amylase, 25%), sublingual (buffers and lubricant, 5%), submandibular (amylase and mucin, 70%).

  • Composition of saliva

    99.4% water, 0.6% buffers, electrolytes, enzymes, mucus, and antibodies.

  • Phases of swallowing

    Buccal phase (tongue pushes bolus to pharynx), pharyngeal phase (bolus moves to esophagus), esophageal phase (peristalsis pushes bolus to stomach).

  • Functions of the stomach

    Mechanical digestion, chemical digestion, production of chyme, and intrinsic factor for vitamin B12 absorption.

  • Gastric gland cell types and secretions

    Parietal cells secrete HCl and intrinsic factor; chief cells produce pepsinogen; mucin cells protect stomach lining.

  • Activation of pepsinogen

    Pepsinogen is converted to active pepsin by hydrochloric acid (HCl) in the stomach.

  • How parietal cells produce HCl

    Active transport of H+ ions into stomach lumen combines with Cl- to form hydrochloric acid.

  • Role of intrinsic factor

    Essential glycoprotein for vitamin B12 absorption; deficiency leads to anemia.

  • Gastric gland hormone cells

    G cells produce gastrin to stimulate parietal and chief cells; D cells produce somatostatin to inhibit gastrin.

  • Phases of gastric secretion control

    Cephalic (before food enters stomach), gastric (food in stomach), intestinal (chyme in small intestine).

  • Effect of low stomach acidity on gastrin

    Low acidity (high pH) increases gastrin release, stimulating more HCl secretion.

  • Effect of high stomach acidity on gastrin

    High acidity (low pH) inhibits gastrin release, reducing HCl secretion.