AL MUSTAQBAL UNIVERSITY

College of Pharmacy / First Stage

(L3) Digestive System

Dr. Abdulhusein Mizhir Almaamuri

Introduction: alimentary tract

• 1. Digestive tract: also called alimentary tract

• 2. GI tract: technically refers to stomach and
intestines
• 3. Accessory organs
• 4. Regions
– Mouth or oral cavity with salivary glands
and tonsils
– Pharynx (throat
– Esophagus
– Stomach
– Small intestine (duodenum, ileum, jejunum)
– Large intestine including cecum, colon,
rectum
– anal canal with mucous glands
– Anus
 Functions of the Digestive System
The digestive system includes structures that form the alimentary canal and the accessory
organs of digestion. Digestion breaks down large compounds in food and liquids into
smaller molecules that can be absorbed into the bloodstream. The absorbed nutrients include
carbohydrates, protein, fats, minerals, and vitamins. They are processed, then delivered
throughout the body and used for energy, growth.
Digestion is a 6-Step Process:
The six major activities of the digestive system are:
ingestion, propulsion, mechanical breakdown, chemical
digestion, absorption, and elimination. First, food is
ingested, chewed, and swallowed. Next, muscular
contractions propel it through the alimentary canal and
physically break it down into tiny particles. Digestive fluids
chemically break down the nutrients from food into
molecules small enough for absorption. Finally, indigestible
substances are eliminated as waste. 24-3
 The mouth or oral cavity is where the process of
Terms of Oral Cavity digestion begins

– A. Vestibule:
– B. Oral cavity proper:
– C. Frenulum:
– 1. labial
– 2. lingual
– D. Teeth
– 1. incisors
– 2. canines
– 3. premolars
– 4. molars
– E. Gingiva
– F. Hard palate
– G. Soft palate
– H. Uvula
• Teeth
(mechanical breakdown)
– Incisors used for cutting
– Canines used for stabbing and holding
– Molars large surface area used for grinding
• Primary or deciduous teeth 20
• Secondary or permanent teeth 32

The permanent dentition consists of 32 teeth.

four incisors,
two canines,
four premolars (or bicuspids),
four molars
two wisdom teeth (third molars) in each jaw.
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 Tongue
• 1. Muscular
– Intrinsic muscles: change shape
– Extrinsic muscles: protrude or retract
tongue, move side to side
• 2. Lingual frenulum
• 3. Terminal sulcus: groove divides tongue
into anterior 2/3; posterior 1/3
• a. Anterior part: papillae, some of which
have taste buds
• b. Posterior part: no papillae and a few
scattered taste buds.
• c. Lymphoid tissue embedded in
posterior surface: lingual tonsil
• 4. Moves food in mouth, participates in
speech and swallowing
Muscles of Mastication

• 1. masseter
• 2. temporalis
• 3. medial and lateral pterygoids.
Nerve supply: Mandibular nerve
(CN V3)

The muscles of mastication are

muscles that attach to the mandible
and thereby produce movements of
the lower jaw(temporomandibular
joint).

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 Salivary Glands-three pairs

– 1. Parotid: largest. Functions of Saliva:

– 2. Sublingual: smallest. 1. Prevents bacterial infection
2. Lubrication
– 3. Submandibular: 3. Contains salivary amylase that breaks
– Posterior half of inferior border of mandible. down starch into disaccharides.
4. Helps to form bolus for deglutition
 Histology of the Digestive Tract
1. Mucosa
2. Submucosa
3. Muscularis:
1. circular and longitudinal
2. smooth except for upper esophagus
4. Serosa or adventitia:
1. visceral peritoneum in abdominal cavity
2. tunica adventitia outside of the abdominal
cavity
Nervous regulation of the Digestive System
– 1. Local: enteric nervous system
• Types of neurons: sensory, motor, interneurons
• Coordinates peristalsis and regulates local reflexes
• As stomach empties into small intestine, local reflex regulates rate of emptying
– 2. General: coordination with the CNS. May initiate reflexes because of sight, smell, or
taste of food. Parasympathetic primarily. Sympathetic input inhibits muscle contraction,
secretion, and decrease of blood flow to the digestive tract.
 Pharynx
A. Common chamber of respiratory and digestive system
B. Structures ensuring that food gets to the right place
1. hard palate
2. soft palate and uvula
3. epiglottis: The function of the epiglottis is to close the
laryngeal inlet during swallowing and so to prevent the passage
of food and liquid into the lungs (aspiration). This is why we
can’t (and shouldn’t try to) talk and breathe while swallowing

 Nasopharynx –
not part of the digestive system
 Oropharynx – posterior to oral cavity
 Laryngopharynx – below the oropharynx and
connected to the esophagus
Esophagus
- The esophagus is posterior to the larynx and trachea in the neck region and upper thorax. It
passes through the diaphragm, and connects with the stomach. It’s about 25 cm in length.
-There are inner circular and outer longitudinal muscle layers.
- The upper third is skeletal muscle (voluntary), middle third is mixed, and lower third is smooth
muscle (involuntary).
-Conducts food by peristalsis (slow rhythmic squeezing):
contraction of circular layer above thefood and contraction
of longitudinal below the food

-Esophagogastric junction is located approximately at the level of the

diaphragm. Contractions of the diaphragm create sphincter-like effects,
preventing reflux of stomach acids and content. The esophagogastric
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junction is a functional, not anatomical, sphincter.
Peristalsis in Esophagus

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The upper oesophageal sphincter regulates the movement of substances into the oesophagus
and the lower oesophageal sphincter (also known as the cardiac sphincter) regulates the
movement of substances from the oesophagus to the stomach.

The muscle layer of the oesophagus differs from the rest of the digestive tract as the superior
portion consists of skeletal (voluntary) muscle and the inferior portion consists of smooth
(involuntary) muscle. Breathing and swallowing cannot occur at the same time.

Esophagus passes through

diaphragm at esophageal hiatus.

Hiatal hernia is caused when part

of your stomach bulges up through
the diaphragm
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When you have hiatal hernia symptoms over a long time, stomach acids may back up (reflux) and
cause gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or damage the lining of the esophagus. If this continues, it may
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increase your risk of developing a kind of cancer of the esophagus.
 Swallowing (Deglutition): three phases
1.The voluntary phase is where food is moved to the oropharynx by the voluntary muscle.

2.The pharyngeal phase which is under the involuntary neuromuscular control. Once the food
bolus encroaches on the palatoglossal folds, or anterior tonsilar pillars, the pharyngeal phase
of swallowing reflexively begins.

3. The oesophageal phase. Like the pharyngeal

phase of swallowing, the oesophageal phase
of swallowing is under involuntary
neuromuscular control.

The outer fibres of the upper zone are arranged

longitudinally while the inner fibres have
a circular configuration

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Stomach
The stomach is a muscular organ located on the left side of the upper abdomen. The stomach
receives food from the oesophagus. As food reaches the end of the oesophagus, it enters the
stomach through a muscular valve called the lower oesophageal sphincter.

The stomach is supplied with arterial blood from a branch of the celiac artery and venous
blood leaves the stomach via the hepatic vein. The vagus nerve innervates the stomach with
parasympathetic fibres that stimulate gastric motility and the secretion of gastric juice.
Sympathetic fibres from the celiac plexus reduce gastric activity.

The stomach has the same four layers of tissue as the digestive tract but with some differences.
The muscularis contains three layers of smooth muscle instead of two. It has longitudinal,
circular and oblique muscle fibres. The extra muscle layer facilitates the churning, mixing and
mechanical breakdown of food. The stomach secretes acid and enzymes that digest food.
Ridges of muscle tissue called rugae line the stomach.
The pyloric sphincter is a muscular valve that opens to allow food to pass from the stomach to
the duodenum. 24-16
 Stomach
1. Openings 1. Layers (from outside)
– Gastroesophageal – a. Serosa or visceral
(cardiac): to peritoneum
esophagus – b. Muscularis: three
– Pyloric: to duodenum layers
2. Parts • Outer longitudinal
– Cardiac • Middle circular
– Fundus • Inner oblique
– Body – c. Submucosa
– Pyloric: antrum and – d. Mucosa
canal
– e. Rugae: folds in
– Greater and lesser mucosa
curvatures:
attachment sites for
omenta
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The stomach is the site where food is converted to a thick fluid called chyme that
allows for efficient enzymatic digestion of macromolecules. The wall of the
stomach contains gastric folds or rugae that expand when the stomach is full.
Peritoneum:
is the largest serous membrane of the body. Divide into:
1. Parietal peritoneum: lines the wall of abdominopelvic cavity internally
2. Visceral peritoneum: cover some oh the organs in the cavity
The space between them contain fluid and called peritoneal cavity this cavity may be
accumulated by several liters of fluid state called ascites.
Retroperitoneal organs: e.g., kidneys, pancreas, duodenum
Mesenteries: double sheets of peritoneum, surrounding and suspending portions of the
digestive organs

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Small Intestine
• Site of greatest amount of
digestion and absorption
of nutrients and water
• Divisions
– Duodenum- first 25 cm
beyond the pyloric
sphincter.

– Jejunum- 2.5 m

– Ileum- 3.5 m. Peyer’s

patches or lymph nodules

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Modifications to Increase Surface Area
– 1. Plicae circulares (circular folds)

– 2. Villi that contain capillaries and

lacteals. Folds of the mucosa

– 3. Microvilli: folds of cell membranes

of absorptive cells

– 4. total surface area about that of a

tennis court.

Ileocecal junction: where ilium meets

large intestine. Ileocecal sphincter and
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ileocecal valve
 Large Intestine
• A. Extends from ileocecal junction to
anus
• B. Consists of cecum, colon, rectum,
anal canal

• C. Movements sluggish (18-24 hours);

chyme converted to feces.

• D. Absorption of water and salts,

secretion of mucus, extensive action of
microorganisms.

• E. 1500 mL chyme enter the cecum,

90% of volume reabsorbed yielding 80-
150 mL of feces
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 Anatomy of the Large Intestine
• 1. Cecum
– Blind sac, vermiform appendix
attached.
• 2. Colon
– Ascending, transverse,
descending, sigmoid
– Circular muscle layer complete;
longitudinal incomplete (three
teniae coli). Contractions of teniae
form pouches called haustra.
– Mucosa has numerous straight
tubular glands called crypts.
Goblet cells predominate, but
there are also absorptive and
granular cells as in the small
intestine
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• 3. Rectum
– Straight muscular tube, thick
muscular tunic

• 4. Anal canal:

– Internal anal sphincter

(smooth muscle)
– External anal sphincter
(skeletal muscle)

– Hemorrhoids: Vein
enlargement or inflammation

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Liver
The liver is the largest solid organ in the body. In adults, the liver can weigh up to 1.5
kilograms (kg). It is in the upper-right abdomen, just under the rib cage and below the
diaphragm.

Hepatic Portal Circulation

The hepatic artery comes off the celiac trunk which
in turn comes from the aorta. The venous blood
from the digestive tract is collected by the portal
vein, which then supplies blood to liver.

The hepatic veins drain blood from liver into

the inferior vena cava. Branches of the hepatic
artery and vein and the bile duct flow into
the liver. Collectively, these three vessels are
termed the portal triad.
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Liver, Gallbladder, Pancreas and Ducts

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Pancreas:

Retroperitoneal :compose of head, body and tail

Endocrine and exocrine gland

Endocrine: pancreatic islets or Islets of

Langerhans.

Gall Bladder :
Sac where bile arrives constantly from liver, stored
and concentrated.
Bile exits through cystic duct then into common
bile duct
Gallstones:
Can block cystic duct
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 THANK YOU!

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