DIGESTION AND THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Your body is made up of cells, tissues and organs which occurs due to changes in food
eaten to body structure.
The changes that occur in foods eaten, its utilization and elimination of waste products
from the body is called metabolism.
The use of food in the body involves three processes – digestion, absorption and
utilization of nutrients in the body.
Digestion – is the process which releases many nutrients in the forms in which the body
can use by breaking up food in the intestinal tract.
Absorption – is the process which carries these nutrients into the circulation system and
delivers them to the cells .
Functions of the Digestive System
Ingestion – the oral cavity allows food to enter the digestive tract and have
mastication (chewing) occurs, and the resulting food bolus is swallowed .
Digestion:
Mechanical digestion – muscular movement of the digestive tract (mainly in the
oral cavity and stomach) physically break down food into smaller particles .
chemical digestion – hydrolysis reactions aided by enzymes (mainly in the
stomach and small intestine) chemically break down food particles into
nutrient molecules , small enough to be absorbed.
The digestive track is often referred to as the alimentary or food canal.
Organization of The Digestive System
Organs of the digestive system are divided into 2 main group : the gastrointestinal
tract (GI tract) and accessory structures .
GI tract is a continuous tube extending through the ventral cavity from the mouth to
the anus – it consists of the mouth , oral cavity , oropharynx , esophagus, stomach ,
small intestine , large intestine , rectum , and anus .
Accessory structures include the teeth, tongue (in oral cavity) , salivary glands , liver ,
gallbladder , and pancreas .
Digestion begins in the mouth and ends in the small intestine.
Diagram of the Digestive System
The Process of Digestion
Part Process
1. Mouth Food is masticated/chewed i.e. broken up by tiny bits by
the teeth
Saliva flows from the salivary glands and changes starchy
food into simple sugar.
Some carbohydrates is digested here.
The tongue rolls the food into small balls called bolus.
2. Gullet / Food passes down by muscular action. No form of digestion
takes place here.
3. Stomach Walls contract and relax, thus churning and mixing food
Gastric juice which is produced in the stomach flows from
the walls in the stomach and continues to change food
Food is called chyme and is in a soupy state.
Food stays longest in this part
Proteins are broken down and digested here
4. Duodenum Pancreatic juice from the pancreas and bile from the liver
pours on the food which continues to change
Fats are broken down here.
5. Small Intestine Intestinal juice from the intestines complete the change –
food is now in a liquid state.
Absorption now takes place.
Food is absorbed through the finger-like structures called
villi (singular Villus) into the blood stream which takes it to
all parts of the body.
6. Large Collects and stores waste products (faeces) for expulsion
Intestine through the anus
/______________ No digestion takes place here
Any water used during digestion is reabsorbed, which
causes the leftovers to harden.
Gall Bladder
The gallbladder is a storage unit for all of the bile and enzymes created by the
liver. It stores them until they are needed for digestion.
Liver
The liver creates different enzymes to help process food nutrients that are
collected in the small intestine.
Pancreas
The liver doesn’t have to create enzymes alone! The pancreas is there to help. It
also makes enzymes to help break down food within the small intestine.
Problems of the Digestive System
# Disease or Disorder Description
1 Indigestion Stomach too acidic. May be caused by eating too fast
or too much or by spicy or acidic foods.
2 Diarrhoea Watery faeces, caused by bacteria virus, food
poisoning, nutritional deficiencies.
3 Ulcers Sores on inner walls of stomach or small intestines
4 Cirrhosis Destruction of liver tissue caused by drinking too
much alcohol
5 Gallstone Crystals in gall bladder; may block passage of bile to
small intestine
6 Kidney stones Crystals in kidney; may block passage of urine to
kidney
7 Appendicitis Inflammation of the appendix
8 Hemorrhoid Swelling of veins near opening of anus
9 Colon cancer Uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in large
intestine
