Digestive
System
Ms. Mary Claire Mores Bruit
Part and
Function of the
Digestive System
Parts and Functions
Gastrointestinal (Gl) tract
– Tube within a tube
– Direct link/path between organs
– Structures
• Mouth
• Pharynx
• Esophagus
• Stomach
• Small intestine
• Large Intestine
• Rectum
Parts and Functions
Mouth
Teeth mechanically
break down food into
small pieces. Tongue
mixes food with saliva
(contains amylase, which
helps break down
starch).
Parts and Functions
Mouth
Teeth mechanically
break down food into
small pieces. Tongue
mixes food with saliva
(contains amylase, which
helps break down
starch).
Parts and Functions
Esophagus
Approximately 20 cm long.
Functions include:
● Moves food from the throat
to the stomach using muscle
movement called peristalsis
● If acid from the stomach
gets in here that’s
heartburn.
Parts and Functions
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.
Parts and Functions
Stomach
● Acid (HCl) in the stomach
Kills Bacteria.
● Food found in the stomach
is called Chyme.
Parts and Functions
Small intestines
● Small intestines are
roughly 7 meters long
● Lining of intestine walls
has finger-like
projections called villi,
to increase surface
area.
Parts and Functions
Small intestines
● The villi are covered in
microvilli which further
increases surface area for
absorption.
● Nutrients from the food
pass into the bloodstream
through the small
intestine walls.
Parts and Functions
Small intestines
Parts and Functions
Small intestines
● Absorbs:
○ 80% ingested water
○ Vitamins
○ Minerals
○ Carbohydrates
○ Proteins
○ Lipids
● Secretes digestive enzymes
Parts and Functions
Large Intestine (Colon)
● About 1.5 meters long
● Accepts what small
intestines don’t absorb
● Rectum (short term
storage which holds
feces before it is
expelled).
Parts and Functions
Large Intestine (Colon)
Functions
● Bacterial
digestion
● Ferment
carbohydrates
Parts and Functions
Rectum
● Rectum is at the end of your
large intestine, a long,
continuous tube that
includes your large
intestine, rectum and anus.
● Rectum makes up the last 6
inches or so, just before it
turns into the anal canal.
Parts and Functions
Rectum
The primary function of the
rectum is to collect and hold
your poop until it’s time to
release it. Your rectum relaxes
and stretches to
accommodate the waste as it
gradually comes in from your
colon.
Parts and Functions
Rectum
While holding it, your rectum
absorbs the remaining water
and electrolytes and further
solidifies the waste. It secretes
mucus to help it pass through
smoothly. When it’s full, nerves
trigger the urge to poop.
Parts and Functions
Anus
Anus facilitates your bowel
movements. Nerves and
muscles surrounding your
anus coordinate to tell you
when you need to poop, while
allowing you to hold it in until
you’re able to reach a toilet.
Parts and Functions
Rectum
When you’re ready, these
nerves and muscles
coordinate again to push
poop out of your body. The
mucous lining in your anus
secretes mucus to lubricate
the passage and help your
poop pass smoothly through
Parts and Functions
Accessory Organs
● Not part of the
path of food,
but play a
critical role.
● Include: Liver,
gall bladder,
and pancreas
Parts and Functions
Accessory Organ:
Liver
● Directly affects digestion
by producing bile
● Bile helps digest fat
● filters out toxins and
waste including drugs and
alcohol and poisons.
Parts and Functions
Accessory Organ:
Gallbladder
● Stores bile from
the liver, releases
it into the small
intestine.
● Fatty diets can
cause gallstones
Parts and Functions
Accessory Organ:
Pancreas
● Produces digestive
enzymes to digest
fats, carbohydrates
and proteins
● Regulates blood sugar
by producing insulin
Digestive
Processes
Ingestion
Digestion
Absorption
Assimilation
Egestion
Digestion
The function of the digestive system is
digestion, the breakdown of organic
compounds into their simple forms for use
by the cells. Digestion is the chief
function of the digestive system. It breaks
down food mechanically and chemically.
A. Ingestion
INGESTION is the first
process that happens in
digestive system. It is the
journey of taking in food
or any substance into the
body through the mouth.
B. DIGESTION
DIGESTION is the second process
involved in digestive system. It is the
process that involves breakdown of
large food molecules into smaller
molecules for easy absorption of the
cells.
B. DIGESTION
While the food is in the mouth, the teeth
cut, crush, and break it apart into tiny
pieces while the tongue helps mix food
with saliva secreted by the salivary glands
forming into a moist ball called bolus so it
can be easily swallowed.
B. DIGESTION
This process is known as mastication or chewing
considered as a mechanical digestion,
which is the initial stage of digestion. The saliva
contains salivary amylase, the enzyme that
breaks down starch into smaller carbohydrate.
B. DIGESTION
Then, the bolus passes from the mouth to the
esophagus - a tube that attaches the mouth to
the stomach. A series of wave-like muscle
contractions known as peristalsis push and
transport foods and liquids in small sections to
the stomach.
B. DIGESTION
The stomach is a J-shaped, bag-like muscular
organ that can hold approximately one liter
of fluid and food. The primary function of the
stomach is to store food, which turns to chyme
after being acted on by the stomach acid.
B. DIGESTION
Chyme is a semifluid material formed from
bolus that is acted upon by the gastric juices
secreted by the stomach. The walls of the
stomach have special cells that secrete gastric
juices like hydrochloric acid and pepsin that
begin the chemical breakdown of proteins.
B. DIGESTION
The liver produces bile, a green
fluid that turns large fat droplets
into smaller ones and stores
them in the gall bladder.
B. DIGESTION
The pancreas makes three different kinds
of enzymes namely amylase, peptidase,
and lipase released through a pancreatic
duct that aid in the digestion of all three
organic compounds such as
carbohydrates, proteins, and fats
respectively.
B. DIGESTION
The small intestine is an organ that
breaks down food further into
substances, such as glucose, that can be
absorbed by the villi. It has three parts
namely the duodenum, the jejunum,
and ileum.
B. DIGESTION
The duodenum is in charge
for the continuous
breaking-down process as it
partially receives the chyme
from the stomach, it
resumes chemical digestion
of food, and prepares for
absorption through the villi.
B. DIGESTION
Carbohydrates are broken down
into sugars by enzymes like
amylase, maltase and lactase.
Proteins are broken down into
amino acids by enzymes like
trypsin and peptidase.
B. DIGESTION
Fats are broken down into fatty acids by the
enzyme lipase. After about four hours, the
stomach pushes food into the small intestines.
Secretion-production and release of enzymes
and acids in the digestive system. It aids in the
breaking down of complex food molecules into
their chemical building blocks.
B. DIGESTION
The jejunum wall works for
absorption through
enterocytes or columnar
cells of small nutrient
particles which have been
previously digested by the
enzymes in the duodenum.
C. Absorption
It occurs mostly in the
small intestine where
several digestive
juices, pancreatic juice,
and bile aid in the
chemical digestion of
food.
C. Absorption
C. Absorption
Absorption is the process
of passing the soluble food
molecules in the wall of
the small intestine through
the villi (the tiny,
finger-like projections
from the epithelial lining of
the intestinal wall)
C. Absorption
Each villus contains blood
capillaries that enable it to
absorb water, glucose,
amino acids, vitamins,
minerals, and fatty acids. It
also increases the amount
of surface area available for
the absorption of nutrients.
D. Assimilation
It is the movement of digested food nutrients into
the blood vessels of the small intestine through
diffusion and use of nutrients into the body cells
through the microvilli – microscopic cellular
membrane projections that serves to expand the
surface area for diffusion and also to lessen any
increase in volume.
D. Assimilation
D. Assimilation
The third part of the small
intestine is the ileum which is
about 3.5 meters in length. Its
main function is the
assimilation (absorption) of
B12 and the re-assimilation
(reabsorption) of conjugated
bile salts.
D. Assimilation
The third part of the small
intestine is the ileum which is
about 3.5 meters in length. Its
main function is the
assimilation (absorption) of
B12 and the re-assimilation
(reabsorption) of conjugated
bile salts.
D. Assimilation
The Large intestine is divided
into caecum, ascending colon,
transverse colon, descending
colon, and sigmoid colon. This
is where reabsorption of
liquid, electrolytes and some
vitamins from the undigested
food takes place.
D. Assimilation
It secretes mucus to aid in
the formation of feces and
maintains alkaline
conditions. This is the last
segment of the
gastrointestinal tract that
completes absorption and
compacts waste.
E. Egestion
Egestion is the last process
that occurs in the digestive
system. It is the release of
undigested food collected
in the rectum called feces
and pushed out of the
body through the anus by
defecation.
Diseases of
the Digestive
System
Short-term
or
temporary
conditions
Diseases of the Digestive System
Constipation
Constipation generally
happens when you go poop
(have a bowel movement) less
frequently than you normally
do. When you’re constipated,
your poop is often dry and
hard and it’s difficult and
painful for your poop to pass.
Diseases of the Digestive System
Diarrhea
Diarrhea is when you have
loose or watery poop.
Diarrhea can be caused by
many things, including
bacteria, but sometimes
the cause is unknown.
Diseases of the Digestive System
Heartburn
Heartburn is an
uncomfortable burning
feeling in your chest that
can move up your neck
and throat. It happens
when acidic digestive juices
from your stomach go back
up your esophagus.
Diseases of the Digestive System
Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids are swollen,
enlarged veins that form
inside and outside of your
anus and rectum. They can
be painful, uncomfortable
and cause rectal bleeding.
Diseases of the Digestive System
Stomach flu (gastroenteritis)
The stomach flu is an
infection of the stomach and
upper part of the small
intestine usually caused by a
virus. It usually lasts less than
a week. Millions of people get
the stomach flu every year.
Diseases of the Digestive System
Ulcers
An ulcer is a sore that develops on
the lining of the esophagus,
stomach or small intestine. The
most common causes of ulcers are
infection with a bacteria called
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and
long-term use of
anti-inflammatory drugs such as
ibuprofen.
Diseases of the Digestive System
Gallstones
Gallstones are small
pieces of solid material
formed from digestive
fluid that form in your
gallbladder, a small
organ under your liver.
Digestive system
diseases
(gastrointestinal
diseases)
Diseases of the Digestive System
GERD
GERD (gastroesophageal
reflux disease, or chronic
acid reflux) is a condition
in which acid-containing
contents in your stomach
frequently leak back up
into your esophagus.
Diseases of the Digestive System
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
IBS is a condition in which
your colon muscle
contracts more or less
often than normal. People
with IBS experience
excessive gas, abdominal
pain and cramps.
Diseases of the Digestive System
Lactose intolerance
Lactose intolerance:
People with lactose
intolerance are unable to
digest lactose, the sugar
primarily found in milk
and dairy products.
Diseases of the Digestive System
Diverticulosis & diverticulitis:
Diverticulosis and diverticulitis are two
conditions that occur in your large intestine
(also called your colon). Both share the
common feature of diverticula, which are
pockets or bulges that form in the wall of
your colon.
Diseases of the Digestive System
Diverticulosis &
diverticulitis:
Diseases of the Digestive System
Cancer
Cancers that affect tissues and organs in the
digestive system are called gastrointestinal (GI)
cancers. There are multiple kinds of GI cancers.
The most common digestive system cancers
include esophageal cancer, gastric (stomach)
cancer, colon and rectal (colorectal) cancer,
pancreatic cancer and liver cancer.
Diseases of the Digestive System
Cancer
Diseases of the Digestive System
Crohn’s disease
Crohn’s disease is a
lifelong form of
inflammatory bowel
disease (IBD). The
condition irritates the
digestive tract.
Diseases of the Digestive System
Celiac disease
Celiac disease is an autoimmune
disorder that can damage your small
intestine. The damage happens when a
person with celiac disease consumes
gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley
and rye.
Diseases of the Digestive System
Celiac disease