Digestive System
While reading, here are your guide questions. This will help you to fully understand Digestive System.
(Answers are to be written in your notebooks)
1. List the regions of the digestive tract, from beginning to end
2. Describe each of the functions involved in the normal functions of the digestive system.
3. Explain the three types of propulsion through the digestive tract.
4. What is the difference between mechanical digestion and chemical digestion?
5. What digestive functions occur in the stomach? In the small intestine?
6. What are the major tunics of the digestive tract wall, listed from inside to outside?
7. What types of tissue are found in each tunic?
8. In what tunics of the digestive tract are the submucosal and myenteric plexuses found? What are
their functions?
9. How do the serosa and adventitia differ?
10. Describe the roles of the ENS, CNS, and ANS in controlling the digestive system.
11. What chemical mechanisms regulate the digestive system?
12. What is the function of the peritoneum?
13. What are the mesenteries? Name and describe the location of the mesenteries in the abdominal
cavity.
14. What is the difference between the vestibule and the oral cavity proper?
15. What are the functions of the lips and cheeks? What muscle forms the substance of the lips? The
cheeks?
16. What are the hard and soft palates? Where is the uvula located?
17. List the functions of the tongue. Distinguish between intrinsic and extrinsic tongue muscles.
18. What are permanent and deciduous teeth? Name the types of teeth.
19. List the three parts of a tooth. What are dentin, enamel, cementum, and pulp?
20. Name and give the location of the three largest salivary glands. What are the other types of salivary
glands called?
21. What are the functions of saliva? What substances are contained in saliva?
22. What is the difference between serous and mucous saliva?
23. Describe the stimuli that stimulate the release of saliva. What nerves are involved?
24. Name the parts of the pharynx involved with digestion. What are pharyngeal constrictors?
25. Where is the esophagus located? Describe the tunics of the esophageal wall and the esophageal
sphincters.
26. What are the three phases of swallowing? Sequentially list the processes involved in the last two
phases and describe how they are regulated.
27. Describe the parts of the stomach. List the tunics of the stomach wall. How is the stomach wall
different from the esophagus wall?
28. What are gastric pits and gastric glands?
29. Name the types of cells in the stomach and the secretions they produce. What are the functions of
the secretions?
30. Describe the three phases of regulation of stomach secretion.
31. How are gastric secretions inhibited? Why is this inhibition necessary?
32. Name the two kinds of stomach movements. How are stomach movements regulated by hormones
and nervous control?
33. Name and describe the three parts of the small intestine.
34. What are the circular folds, villi, and microvilli in the small intestine? What are their functions?
35. Name the four types of cells found in the duodenal mucosa, and state their functions.
36. What are the functions of the intestinal glands and duodenal glands? State the factors that stimulate
secretion from the duodenal glands and from goblet cells.
37. List the enzymes of the small intestine wall, and give their functions.
38. What are the two kinds of movement of the small intestine? How are they regulated?
39. What is the function of the ileocecal sphincter and valve?
40. Describe the lobes of the liver. What is the porta?
41. Diagram the duct system from the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas that empties into the major
duodenal papilla.
42. Explain and give examples of the major functions of the liver.
43. What stimulates bile secretion from the liver?
44. Describe the three tunics of the gallbladder wall.
45. What is the function of the gallbladder? What stimulates the release of bile from the gallbladder?
46. Describe the parts of the pancreas responsible for endocrine and exocrine secretions. Diagram the
duct system of the pancreas.
47. Name the two kinds of exocrine secretions produced by the pancreas. What stimulates their
production, and what is their function?
48. What enzymes are present in pancreatic juice? Explain the function of each.