DIGESTIVE SYSTEM – CHAPTER 14

 What is the protective value of having several sets of tonsils at the oral entrance to the pharynx?
Ans: the mouth is a favored site of body entry by bacteria, and the presence of the tonsils
(lymphocyte and macrophage-filled organs) is very effective in preventing many pathogens
from getting further into the digestive tract.
 What modification of the stomach muscularis externa allows it to mechanically digest food?
Ans: its third layer of smooth muscle, the oblique layer, which allows it to knead or pummel
the food.
 What is the functional value of the microvilli in the absorptive cells of the small intestine?
Ans: they tremendously increase the surface area available for absorption of digested
foodstuffs.
 What substance forms the bulk of the tooth?
Ans: Dentin

1. What is the sequential order (mouth to anus) of the digestive organs making up the alimentary
canal?

2. In which organ of the alimentary canal does protein digestion begin?

3. The stomach epithelium secretes several substances, including alkaline mucus and intrinsic
factor. What is the function of each of these two secretions?

4. Which muscular sphincter regulates the flow of chime into the small intestine?

5. What are villi, and why are they important?

6. What are the two main functions of the large intestine?

7. What is the normal number of permanent teeth?

8. Mary has a dry mouth – very little saliva is being secreted. Digestion of which type of food will
be affected (decreased) by this situation?
9. What is the digestive role of bile? What organ secretes bile?

10. Only one organ produces enzymes capable of digesting all groups of food. Which organ is this?

11. What is the proper order of the following stages of food processing – defecation, absorption,
digestion, ingestion?

12. How do mechanical breakdown and digestion differ from each other?

13. What happens during the buccal stage of swallowing?

14. How does segmentation differ from peristalsis in terms of moving substances along the GI tract?

15. What does it mean when we say that food “went down the wrong tube”?

16. Why is it necessary for the stomach contents to be so acidic?

17. What are the building blocks (and digestion products) of proteins?

18. What is the role of CCK in digestion?

19. What are the brush borders enzyme?

20. What is the major source of carbohydrates in our diet?

21. Why is it important to include cellulose in a healthy diet even though we cannot digest it?

22. Are oils saturated lipids or unsaturated lipids?

24. What is given to the process in which glucose is combined with oxygen to yield CO2, H2O and
ATP?

25. What are the major end products of the Krebs cycle?

26. What are the major products of the electron transport chain?

27. Other than ATP production, list two uses of fats in the body.

28. What happens to the ammonia released when amino acids are “burned” for energy?

29. What is glucogenesis?

30. If you had your choice, would you prefer to have high blood levels of HDLs or LDLs? Explain your
answer.

31. Which of the following would you expect to yield a relatively high BMR: old age, large surface
area relative to body volume, female sex, deficient thyroxine production?

32. What are two means of either maintaining or increasing body temperature?

33. How does vasodilation of skin blood vessels affect body temperature on a hot day?

34. How does cystic fibrosis affect digestion?

35. What dietary changes must be made to prevent brain damage in children with PKU?
36. What occurs when your total caloric intake exceeds your TMR?