ANATOMY OF THE

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

Components of
the Digestive System
Digestive Tract
Gastrointestinal
(GI) tract or
alimentary canal
muscular tube
extends from oral
cavity to anus
Digestive Glands

6 Functions of the Digestive

System
1.Ingestion:
occurs when materials enter digestive tract
via the mouth

2.Mechanical processing:
crushing and shearing
makes materials easier to propel along
digestive tract

3. Digestion:
is the chemical breakdown of food into
smaller molecules
for absorption by digestive epithelium
4.Secretion:
is the release of water, acids, enzymes,
buffers, and salts into tube where digestion
occurs
by epithelium of digestive tract

5. Absorption:
organic substrates, electrolytes, vitamins
and water
digestive epithelium

6.Excretion
elimination of wastes and residues

Two Types of Digestive System

Incomplete digestive
system
One-way, saclike
digestive cavity

Complete digestive
system
A tube with an opening
at each end

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Pharynx
(throat)
Oral cavity
(mouth)

Salivary
glands
Esophagus
Stomach

Liver
Gallbladder

Appendix
Rectum
Anus

Pancreas
Small
intestine
Large
intestine

Oral Cavity
First part of digestive system
Salivary glands:
- produce saliva which contains enzymes
to breakdown carbohydrates into glucose
- cleanse mouth
- dissolve and moisten food

Teeth

32 teeth in normal adult

Incisors, canine, premolars, molars, wisdom
20 primary teeth (baby teeth)
Each tooth has crown, cusp, neck, root
Center of tooth is pulp cavity
Enamel is hard covering protects against
abrasions
Cavities are breakdown of enamel by acids from
bacteria

Palate
Palate:
roof of oral cavity
Hard palate:
anterior part
Soft palate:
posterior part

Salivary Glands
Salivary Glands:
- includes
submandibular
sublingual
parotid
- produce saliva
contains enzymes to
breakdown food

Swallowing
Complex reflex
Tongue forces bolus into pharynx
Epiglottis and vocal cords close off
trachea; breathing temporarily ceases
Bolus moves from the esophagus through
the esophageal sphincter into stomach

Pharynx
Throat
Connects mouth to
esophagus

Esophagus
Tube that connects
pharynx to
stomach
Transport food to
stomach
Joins stomach at
cardiac opening

Stomach
Located in abdomen
Storage tank for food
Can hold up to 2 liters
of food
protein is partially
digested
water is partially
absorbed
sphincter at both ends

 Cardiac opening:
opening between the
stomach and
esophagus
Pyloric opening:
opening between
stomach and small
intestine
Cardiac sphincter
Pyloric sphincter:
thick, ring of smooth
muscle around pyloric
opening

Stomach Secretions
Hydrochloric acid (HCl)
- produced by parietal cells
Gastric acid
- produced by the chief cells
Pepsinogen (inactive form of a
protein-digesting enzyme)
- produced by chief cells
Mucin
- produced by mucous cells

Mixing of Chyme
A thick mixture of

bolus and gastric fluid

(chyme)
Mixed and moved by
waves of stomach
contractions
(peristalsis)

Small Intestine
Measures 6 meters in length
Contains enzymes to further breakdown food
Contains secretions for protection against
chymes acidity
longest and most coiled tube of digestive tract
final digestion and absorption of digested food
materials

a. duodenum anterior part

b. ileum posterior part

c. jejunum middle part

 longest and most coiled tube of digestive

tract
final digestion and absorption of digested
food materials

a. duodenum anterior part

b. ileum posterior part

c. jejunum middle part

Parts of Small Intestine

Duodenum:
- 25 cm long
- contains absorptive cells, goblet cells,
Jejunum:
- 2.5 meters long and absorbs nutrients
Ileum:
- 3.5 meters long

 Movement of chyme
into duodenum
controlled by pyloric
sphincter
duodenum receives
secretions from
pancreas, liver, and
gallbladder;
continues process of
digestion

Intestinal Secretions
Wall of the duodenum secretes
Disaccharidases - digest
disaccharides to monosaccharides
Peptidases - break protein fragments
down to amino acids
Nucleases - digest nucleotides down
to nucleic acids and monosaccharides

Large intestine
Function is to absorb water from indigestible
food
Contains cecum, colon, rectum, anal canal
Cecum:
- joins small intestine at ileocecal junction
- has appendix attached
Appendix:
9 cm structure that is often removed

 Colon:
- 1.5 meters long
- contains
ascending
transverse
descending
sigmoid regions
Rectum:
straight tube that begins
at sigmoid and ends at
anal canal

 Anal canal:
last 2-3 cm of dig.
tract
Food takes 18-24
hours to pass through
Feces is product of
water, indigestible
food, and microbes

Liver Anatomy
Weighs about 3 lbs.
Right, left, caudate,
quadrate lobes
Porta:
gate where blood
vessels, ducts, nerves
enter and exit
Receives blood from
hepatic artery

Gallbladder
Small sac on
inferior surface of
liver
Stores and
concentrates bile

Functions of Liver
Stores fat soluble vitamins, iron, glycogen
and lipid
Detoxifies harmful chemicals
Secretes 700ml of bile each day
Bile:
dilutes and neutralizes stomach acid and
breaks down fats

Pancreas
Located posterior to stomach in inferior part
of left upper quadrant
Head near midline of body
Tail extends to left and touches spleen
Endocrine tissues have pancreatic islet that
produce insulin and glucagon
Exocrine tissues produce digestive
enzymes