Digestive System

• Components of the Food

1. Carbohydrates Major Components

2. Protiens
3. Fats
1. Minerals Required in small quantities
2. Vitamins

• Water we take plays important role in

1. Metabolic Processes
2. Prevents Dehydration of the body

• Digestion : The process of conversion of complex food into simpler absorbable form is called digestion and
is carried out by digestive system by mechanical and biochemical methods.
Structure of the Digestive System

Alimentary Mouth 1. Teeth Oral or Buccal Cavity

Canal 2. Tongue
Pharynx 1. Naso Pharynx Common Passage for food and air
2. Oro Pharynx
3. Laryngo Pharynx
Epiglottis Prevents the entry of food into the glottis
(opening of the windpipe)
Oesophagus Food Pipe (Length – 25cm , Diameter – 2cm )
Stomach 1. Fundus J Shaped bag structure
2. Cardiac
3. Body
4. Pyloric
Small Intestine 1. Duodenum Length – 5meters
2. Jejunum Diameter – 2.5cm
3. Ileum
Large Intestine 1. Caecum Length – 1.5meters
2. Colon Diameter – 6.5cm
3. Rectum
Associated Salivary Glands 1. Submandibular (Lower Jaw)
Glands 2. Sublingual(Below the Tongue)
3. Parotids (Cheek)
Pancreas 1. Exocrine Pancreas
2. Endocrine Pancreas
Liver Largest Gland (1.2 to 1.5 kg)
Teeth
Enamel Hard Chewing Surface of the teeth, Helps in mastication of food
Thecodont Each teeth is embedded in socket of jaw bone
Dentition
Heterdont Four different types of teeth
Dentition 1. Incisors (I)
2. Canine (C)
3. Premolar (PM)
4. Molar (M)

Dental Formula : 2123/2123

Diphydont Milk teeth is replaced by permanent or adult teeth

Dentition

Tongue
Frenulum Tongue attached to floor of the oral cavity by
the frenulum
Papille Upper surface contatins papille, some of which
bear taste buds
Transverse Secretion of the Alimentary Canal

Serosa Outer Most Layer

Muscularis Responsible for the segmental contractions and peristaltic movements in the gastrointestinal
(GI) tract.
Sub-mucosa It consists of blood and lymphatic vessels.. In duodenum glands also present
Mucosa Mucosa is the innermost layer which forms
▪ Stomach – Rugae
▪ Small Intestine – Villi (small finger-like foldings)
It is the absorptive and secretory layer of the GI tract.
Lumen Inside Space in Alimentary Canal Food Passes
Liver

Position It is situated in the abdominal cavity, just below the diaphragm

Lobes It has two lobes.
Hepatic Lobules structural and functional units of liver
Hepatic Cells The hepatic lobules are the contain hepatic cells arranged in the form of cords.
Glisson’s Capsule Each lobule is covered by a thin connective tissue sheath called the Glisson's capsule
Hepatic Ducts The bile secreted by the hepatic cells passes through the hepatic ducts.
Gall Bladder Bile is stored and concentrated
Common Bile Duct Duct of gall bladder (cystic duct) + Hepatic duct from the liver
Common Hepato- The bile duct + The pancreatic duct.
Pancreatic Duct open together into the duodenum as the which is guarded by a sphincter called the
sphincter of Oddi

Pancreas

Position The pancreas is a compound (both exocrine and endocrine) elongated organ situated
between the limbs of the ‘U’ shaped duodenum.
Exocrine Portion Secretes an alkaline pancreatic juice containing Enzymes
Endocrine Portion Secretes Hormones, insulin and glucagon.
Secretions in Digestive System
Organ Juice Daily Amnt Components of Juice
Liver Bile 500mL • Bile salts
• Bile Pigments
• Cholesterol
• Phospholipids
• But No Enzymes
Pancreas Pancreatic Juice 1500mL • Trypsinogen
• Chymotrypsinogen
• Procarboxypeptidases
• Amylases
• Lipases
• Nucleases
Small Intestine Intestinal Juice/ 1500mL • Disaccharidases
Succus Entericus • Dipeptidases
• Lipases
• Nucleosidases
Salivary Glands Salivary Juice 1500mL • Salivary Amylase
• Lysozyme
Stomach Gastric Juice 2000mL • Mucus Neck Cells – Mucus
• Peptic or Chief Cells – Proenzyme Pepsinogen
• Perietal or Oxyntic Cells – HCL and Intrinsic factor
Sphincters of the Digestive System
Digestion and Absorption of food at different Places of Alimentary Canal

Place Food that is Digestion Absorption

Broken Down
Mouth Starch The buccal cavity performs two major functions, Certain drugs coming in
(Carbohydrate) mastication of food and facilitation of swallowing. contact with the mucosa of
mouth and lower side of
The teeth and the tongue with the help of saliva
tongue are absorbed into
masticate and mix up the food. Mucus in saliva helps
the blood capillaries lining
in lubricating and adhering the masticated food
them.
particles into a bolus.

The bolus is then conveyed into the pharynx and then

into the oesophagus by the process called deglutition.

The bolus further passes down through the

oesophagus by successive waves of muscular
contractions called peristalsis.
Stomach Proteins Stomach stores the food for 4-5 hours Absorption of water,
simple sugar and alcohol
The food mixes thoroughly with the acidic gastric takes place.
juice of the stomach by the churning movements of
its muscular wall and is called the chyme
Small Carbohydrates, Various types of movements are generated by the Principal organ for
Intestine proteins, muscularies layer of the small intestine. These absorption of Nutrients.
starch movements help in a through mixing up of the food The digestion is completed
with various secretions in the intestion and there by here and the final products
faciliate digestion. of digestion such as
The bile, pancreatic juice and the intestinal juice are glucose, fructose, fatty
the secretions released into the small intestine. acids, glycerol and amino
Pancreatic juice and bile are released through the acids are absorbed through
hepato-pancreatic duct. the mucosa into the blood
stream and lymph.

Final forms of food component are The absorbed substances

finally reach the tissues
1. Protein ---> Amino Acids which utilise them for their
2. Carbohydrates ---> Glucose, Galactose, Fructose activites. This process is
3. Fats ----> Fatty acids and Glycerol called assimilation.

Breakdown of biomacromolecules occurs in the

duodenum.
The simple substances thus formed are absorbed in
the jejunum and ileum regions.
The undigested and unabsorbed substances are
passed on to the large intestine.
Large Bacteria act on No significant digestive activity occurs in the large Absorption of water, some
Intestion the remaining intestine minerals and drug takes
food particles. place.
Secrets mucus which helps in adhering the waste
(undigested) particles together and lubricating it for an
easy passage.
The undigested, unabsorbed substances called faeces
enters into the caecum of the large intestine through
ileo-caecal valve, which prevents the back flow of the
faecal matter.

It is temporarily stored in the rectum till defaecation.