DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Is the main organs that make up your digestive system are the organs known as your gastrointestinal
tract. They are: your mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine and anus. Assisting your
GI organs along the way are your pancreas, gallbladder and liver.
Here’s how these organs work together in your digestive system.
Mouth
-is the beginning of the digestive tract. Also known as the oral cavity. The oral cavity contains main
accessory that aid in the digestion of food - the tongue, teeth, and salivary glands.
Function
Mount where we chew our food into pieces that are more easily digested. Your saliva mixes with the
food to begin to break it down into a form your body can absorb and use. When you swallow, your
tongue passes the food into your throat and into your esophagus.
Esophagus
(read the meaning)
Function
the esophagus receives food from your mouth when you swallow. The epiglottis is a small flap that folds
over your windpipe as you swallow to prevent you from choking (when food goes into your windpipe). A
series of muscular contractions within the esophagus called peristalsis delivers food to your stomach.
Stomach
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Function
The stomach is a hollow organ, or "container," that holds food while it is being mixed with stomach
enzymes. These enzymes continue the process of breaking down food. Cells in the lining of your stomach
secrete a strong acid and powerful enzymes that are responsible for the breakdown process. When the
contents of the stomach are processed enough, they’re released into the small intestine.
Small intestine
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Function
Made up of three segments — the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum — the small intestine is a 22-foot long
muscular tube that breaks down food using enzymes released by the pancreas and bile from the liver.
Peristalsis also works in this organ, moving food through and mixing it with digestive juices from the
pancreas and liver.
The duodenum is the first segment of the small intestine. It’s largely responsible for the continuous
breaking-down process. The jejunum and ileum lower in the intestine are mainly responsible for the
absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream.
Contents of the small intestine start out semi-solid and end in a liquid form after passing through the
organ. Water, bile, enzymes and mucus contribute to the change in consistency. Once the nutrients have
been absorbed and the leftover-food residue liquid has passed through the small intestine, it then moves
on to the large intestine (colon).
Pancreas
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Function
The pancreas secretes digestive enzymes into the duodenum that break down protein, fats and
carbohydrates. The pancreas also makes insulin, passing it directly into the bloodstream. Insulin is the
chief hormone in your body for metabolizing sugar.
Liver
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Function
The liver has many functions, but its main job within the digestive system is to process the nutrients
absorbed from the small intestine. Bile from the liver secreted into the small intestine also plays an
important role in digesting fat and some vitamins.
The liver is your body's chemical "factory." It takes the raw materials absorbed by the intestine and
makes all the various chemicals your body needs to function.
The liver also detoxifies potentially harmful chemicals. It breaks down and secretes many drugs that can
be toxic to your body.
Gallbladder
Is a small, pear-shapes organ on the right side of your abdomen, just beneath your liver.
Function
The gallbladder stores and concentrates bile from the liver, and then releases it into the duodenum in
the small intestine to help absorb and digest fats.
Large Intestine /Colon
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Function
The colon is responsible for processing waste so that emptying your bowels is easy and convenient.
The colon is made up of the cecum, the ascending (right) colon, the transverse (across) colon, the
descending (left) colon, and the sigmoid colon, which connects to the rectum.
Stool, or waste left over from the digestive process, is passed through the colon by means of peristalsis,
first in a liquid state and ultimately in a solid form. As stool passes through the colon, water is removed.
Stool is stored in the sigmoid (S-shaped) colon until a "mass movement" empties it into the rectum once
or twice a day.
It normally takes about 36 hours for stool to get through the colon. The stool itself is mostly food debris
and bacteria. These “good” bacteria perform several useful functions, such as synthesizing various
vitamins, processing waste products and food particles and protecting against harmful bacteria. When
the descending colon becomes full of stool, or feces, it empties its contents into the rectum to begin the
process of elimination (a bowel movement).
Rectum
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Function
The brain then decides if the rectal contents can be released or not. If they can, the sphincters relax and
the rectum contracts, disposing its contents. If the contents cannot be disposed, the sphincter contracts
and the rectum accommodate so that the sensation temporarily goes away.
Anus
(read the meaning)
Function
The pelvic floor muscle creates an angle between the rectum and the anus that stops stool from coming
out when it’s not supposed to. The internal sphincter is always tight, except when stool enters the
rectum. This keeps us continent (prevents us from pooping involuntarily) when we are asleep or
otherwise unaware of the presence of stool.
When we get an urge to go to the bathroom, we rely on our external sphincter to hold the stool until
reaching a toilet, where it then relaxes to release the contents.