Digestion
• Phases Include
1. Ingestion
2. Movement
3. Mechanical and Chemical Digestion
4. Absorption
5. Elimination
Digestion
• Types
– Mechanical (physical)
• Chew
• Tear
• Grind
• Mash
• Mix
– Chemical
• Enzymatic reactions to improve digestion of
– Carbohydrates
– Proteins
– Lipids
Mouth
• Teeth mechanically • Epiglottis is a flap-like
break down food into structure at the back of
small pieces. Tongue the throat that closes
mixes food with saliva over the trachea
(contains amylase, preventing food from
which helps break down entering it.
starch).
Esophagus
• Approximately 10” long
• Functions include:
1. Secrete mucus
2. Moves food from the throat to
the stomach using muscle
movement called peristalsis
• If acid from the stomach gets in
here that’s heartburn.
Stomach
• J-shaped muscular bag that stores
the food you eat, breaks it down
into tiny pieces.
• Mixes food with digestive juices
that contain enzymes to break
down proteins and lipids.
• Acid in the stomach kills bacteria.
• Food found in the stomach is
called chyme.
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Small Intestine
• Small intestines are roughly 7 meters long
• Lining of intestine walls has finger-like
projections called villi, to increase surface
area.
• The villi are covered in microvilli which
further increases surface area for
absorption.
• Bile aids in the chemical digestion of lipids
• Enzymes continue to digest carbohydrates,
lipids and proteins.
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Small Intestine
• Nutrients from the food pass into the
bloodstream through the small
intestine walls.
• Absorbs:
– 80% ingested water
– Vitamins
– Minerals
– Carbohydrates
– Proteins
– Lipids
• Secretes digestive enzymes
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Large Intestine
• About 5 feet long
• Continues to absorb water
• Rectum (short term storage which
holds feces before it is expelled).
Large Intestine
– Absorbs more water
– Concentrate wastes
Accessory Organs
• Not part of the path
of food, but play a
critical role.
• Include: Liver, gall
bladder, and
pancreas
Liver
• Directly affects digestion by producing
bile
– Bile helps digest fat
• filters out toxins and waste including
drugs and alcohol
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Gall Bladder
• Stores bile from the
liver, releases it into the
small intestine.
• Fatty diets can cause
gallstones
Pancreas
• Produces digestive
enzymes to digest fats,
carbohydrates and
proteins
• Regulates blood sugar
by producing insulin
How’d you do?
• Green: Esophagus
• Red: Stomach
• Pink: Small Intestine
• Brown: Large Intestine
• Purple: Liver
• Green: Gall Bladder
• Yellow: Pancreas
References and Links
• Your Digestive System and How It Works
– Digestive system diagram comes from this site
• The Real Deal on the Digestive System
• Pancreas: Introduction and Index
• Your Gross and Cool Body - Digestive System
