ANIMAL NUTRITION

STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF PARTS OF ALIMENTARY CANAL

The mouth
Chewing is a reflex action
pH of environment

6.5 7.5
(Maintained by bicarbonate ions from saliva)

Structure

Function

Enzymes present

Short equation for

digestion if any

Salivary glands

Saliva (chemical
digestion)

Amylase

Amylase
Starch maltase

Teeth

amama

Rolls food into bolus

(might impair oesophagus if
food is swallowed in squares)
To increase surface
area to volume area for
digestion

Pharynx
Common passage for food and air
Presence of epiglottis to cover trachea when the food is entering the oesophagus
Oesophagus
A muscular tube connecting the buccal cavity to the stomach
Secretes mucus to lubricate the food so that it can move easily along the gut
Structure

Function

Enzymes present

Short equation for

digestion

Smooth walls
(longitudinal and
circular muscles) of the
walls of the
oesophagus

Antagonistic muscles
(contacts and relax
alternatively, cramping
who occurred if both
actions are carried out
at the same time) who
carry out peristalsis to
move food into the
stomach

Peristalsis in the oesophagus

Rhythmic wave-like contractions of the smooth muscles of oesophagus
Functions
To move the food into the stomach
Enables food to be mixed with digestive juices
Working of the antagonistic muscles
Circular muscle contracts longitudinal muscles relax wall constricts

Circular muscles relax longitudinal muscles contacts wall dilates

The stomach
pH of the environment

<7
(Maintained by the hydrochloric acid from the gastric juice)

Structure

Function

Enzymes present

Short equation for

digestion

Mucous membrane
bearing gastric pits

Secretes gastric juice

(hydrochloric acid and
pepsin)
Roles of hydrochloric
acid:
Stop action of
salivary
amylase,
change
environment so
that amylase
will denature as
it is out of pH
range
Provides an
acidic medium
for the
enzymes
Kill the bacteria

Pepsinogen and
prorennin are inactive
enzymes (would
digest whole of
stomach wall if they
are not inactive)

Pepsin
Proteins polypeptide

Pepsingogen

Soluble casseinogen
Rennin
Insoluble caesin
(insoluble so digestion
can take place longer)

Control the quantity of

food to enter the
small intestine

Pyloric sphincter (at

end of stomach)

HCl
Pepsin

Curding of milk
Milk solid milk

Prorennin
HCL
renin

Peristalsis in stomach
The stomach also serves to store food temporarily (3-4 hours)
Peristalsis in the stomach helps to churn and mix food
Partly digested food becomes liquefied to form chyme which triggers most small intestine
secretion

The small intestine

Long and coiled
Consists of 3 parts: duodenum, jejunum and ileum

 pH
>7
Maintained by the secretions from gal bladder, pancreatic juice and intestinal juice
Secretions that goes into the small intestine
Chyme from the stomach will cause the follow juices to be secreted and a series of hydrolytic
reactions to take place as shown in the table below
Secretions are usually alkaline and it provides the medium for the pancreatic and intestinal
enzymes to work in
Associated organs or glands

Function

Liver

Liver cells secrete bile salts and bile

pigments

Gall bladder (Green yellow bag

attached to the liver)

Pancreas

Intestinal glands (on mucosa of

small intestine)

Composition of secretions(s) +
reactions
Bile
Emulsifies fats

Increases surface area to volume

ratio to speed up fat digestion
Stores bile secreted from liver
temporarily
During contraction, it releases
bile into the duodenum via the
bile duct
Produces pancreatic juice that
Pancreatic juice
contains digestive enzymes
Amylase
Pancreatic juice flows into
Starch maltase
duodenum via the pancreatic
Lipase
duct
Fats fatty acid + glycerol
Enterokinase
Trypsinogen trypsin
Trypsin
Proteins polypeptides

Produces intestinal juice

Insulin and glucagon

Hormones which controls blood
sugar concentration
Carbohydrases
(only monosaccharide can
pass through small intestine
wall)
Maltase
Maltose glucose + glucose
sucrase

Sucrose glucose + fructose

Lactase
Lactose glucose + galactose
Conversion of inactive enzymes
Enterokinase
Trypsinogen trypsin
Protease
Erepsin
Polypeptides amino acid
Lipase
Lipase
Fats fatty acid + glycerol
ABSORPTION
the process whereby digested food materials are taken into the body cells

Structure of the small intestine

How does it help absorption?

Inner walls are extensively folded

Bears numerous villi. The epithelium of the villi, in
turn, has numerous microvilli
Long and coiled

Provide a large surface area to volume ration for

absorption
Provides a large surface area to volume ration for
absorption
Provides sufficient time for absorption

Structure of the villi

How does it help absorption?

Villi have thin walls. Epithelium is only one cell

thick

Reduces barrier to diffusion, allows it to proceed

faster

Richly supplied with blood capillaries and

lymphatic capillaries

Carries away absorbed food substances quickly

Maintains concentration gradient for diffusion

Absorption of glucose and amino acids

Entry of glucose and amino acids through the epithelium by diffusion or active transport
Diffuses into blood capillaries in the villi
Blood capillaries unite which eventually forms the hepatic portal vein
Transports the glucose and amino acids to the liver
Absorption of fatty acids and glycerol

 Entry of fatty acids and glycerol through epithelium by diffusion or active transport
Absorbed into the lacteal
In the lacteal, fatty acids combine with glycerol to give fats which next combines with lymph to give a
white color fluid known as chyle
Chyle is next discharged into the bloodstream
Blood carries chyle to the liver and rest of the body
ASSIMILATION
The process whereby some of the absorbed food materials are converted into new protoplasm or used to
provide energy
Simple sugars (glucose)
Small intestine liver (hepatic portal vein)
To release energy (respiration) Occurs in cells
Excess glucose converted to glycogen by insulin and stored in liver
Remaining glucose leaves liver via hepatic vein to be transported to rest of the body
Amino acids
Small intestine liver (hepatic portal vein)
Converted into new protoplasm used for growth and repair of worn out body parts
Produces enzymes and hormones
Excess amino acids never stored
Broken down to urea in liver (deamination)
Deamination is a process whereby the amino group is removed to form urea
Deamination
Deamination is a process whereby the amino group is removed to form urea
The remains of the deaminated amino acids is converted back to glucose
Excess glucose is converted to glycogen
Fatty acids and glycerol
Small intestine blood circulation (lacteal/lymph vessel)
A source of energy when glucose level is low
Excess fats stored in adipose tissue occurring beneath our skin to reduce water loss and around heart
and kidneys for protection
FUNCTIONS OF LIVER
Largest gland
Function
Production of bile

Description
Liver makes bile which is stored in gall bladder and
discharged into duodenum through bile duct
Bile is needed for emulsification
Bile contains bilirubin (from breakdown of
haemoglobin in red blood cell) and bile salts

Deamination
Control of blood sugar level

Liver detects and maintains blood sugar level

at 70-90mg of glucose/100 cm3 of blood

Detoxification

Rise of blood sugar level

When blood sugar rises (after a meal)
excess glucose is converted into
glycogen and stored in the liver
This conversion is regulated by
pancreatic hormone insulin
Drop of blood sugar level
When blood sugar drops (after
exercise) glycogen converted back
to glucose in the liver and re-enters
circulation
This conversion is regulated by
hormone glucagon
Detoxification is a process of converting toxic
and harmful substances into harmless
substances e.g. alcohol
Effects of alcohol on the human body
Alcohol stimulates acid secretion in
stomach which increases risk of gastric
ulcers
Prolonged alcohol abuse may lead to
cirrhosis of liver (liver cells destroyed
and replaced with fibrous tissues,
making liver less able to function)
bleeding in liver liver failure
death
Nervous system

Manufacture of plasma proteins

Heat production

Slow down reaction time

Decrease of self control due to
slow down of brain activity
Plasma is the fluid component of the blood
Plasma proteins are proteins found in the
plasma
Heat is produced by the numerous chemical
reactions in the liver
This heat is distributed by the blood to other
parts of the body thus maintaining the body
production