SCIENCE 8

STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS: DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

THE DIFFERENT ORGANS OF DIGESTION
DIGESTION- is the process wherein food is broken down into small molecules that the body can use to nourish the cells and to
provide energy
TWO PHASES IN DIGESTION
A. MECHANICAL PHASE- food is broken down into small pieces by the process of chewing or mastication
B. CHEMICAL PHASE- food is acted upon by a chemical substances called enzymes that are secreted together with the
digestive juices
Digestive system main organs
A. ALIMENTARY TRACT- are the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine, rectum and anus.
B. ACCESSORY ORGANS- are the salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas.
MOUTH- the digestion begins, or Oral Cavity
STRUCTURES OF THE MOUTH
A. TEETH- breaks down food into small pieces
B. TONGUE- a muscular organ that mixes food with the saliva and the same time aids in swallowing.
C. TASTE BUDS- enable us to taste food.
D. DUCTS OF SALIVARY GLANDS- secrete saliva that lubricates food
E. PALATE- forms the roof of the mouth
F. HARD PALATE- anterior portion G. SOFT PALATE- posterior portion
BOLUS- food that enters the mouth is lubricated and chewed until it forms into a ball-shaped mass
PHARYNX/THROAT-is located at the back of the mouth, the common passage way for digestion and respiration.
SPHINCHER MUSCLE- covers the esophagus so air freely enters the trachea.
EPIGLOTTIS- to cover the opening of the trachea so food finds its right way and the passing of air temporarily stops.
ESOPHAGUS- is a muscular tube through which food passes from the pharynx to the stomach.
PERISTALSIS- the bolus is transported by the esophagus into the stomach via wave-like contraction
STOMACH- is the expanded organ located between the esophagus and small intestine
RUGAE- investigation of the interior of the stomach reveals the presence of folds
GASTRIC GLANDS- composed of many different kinds of cells
GASTRIC JUICES- the secretions of all these cells comprise.
CHYME- is the semi-fluid, partly digested food
HEART BURN- back flowing of the acidic chime in the esophagus can cause a condition
SMALL INTESTINE- is considered as the organ of complete digestion and absorption
THREE SECTIONS
A. DUODENUM-(about 25 cm long)the shortest and most fixed part
B. JEJUNUM-(about 1.4 meters long)middle and freely movable portion
C. ILEUM-(about 3.5 meters long)longest and the highly coiled part
LARGE INTESTINE-/COLON- is the next organ after the small intestine
RECTUM- is located at the distal end of the sigmoid colon, and basically serves as a warehouse for the undigested residue or feces.
ANUS/ANAL CANAL- functions as the exit point for fecal materials
THE DIFFERENT ACCESSORY ORGANS OF DIGESTION-are the exocrine glands
SALIVARY GLANDS- are located in the mouth
THREE TYPES
A. PAROTID
B. SUBLINGUAL
C. SUBMANDIBULAR
AMYLASE PTYALIN- digests carbohydrates in the mouth
LIVER- is the largest organ in the body
GALL BLADDER- temporarily stored and concentrated bile
PANCREAS- is a large, elongated gland located at the back of the stomach
ENZYMES- are organic catalysts
SUBSTRATES- substances that are transformed with the help of enzymes
EMIL FISCHER- a Nobel laureate in organic chemistry in 1894
DIGESTIVE ENZYMES CLASSIFICATION
PROTEASES AND PEPTIDASES- break them into amino acid units
CARBOHYDRASES- acts on carbohydrates break them into simple sugar
LIPASES- breaks fats or lipids into fatty acids and glycerol
NUCLEASES- break down nucleic acids into nucleotides