Organs of the Digestive System

- mouth (oral cavity), pharynx, esophagus, stomach,

small intestine, large intestine, rectum, anus
Accessory organs - participate in digestive processes;
organs include:
• teeth, tongue, salivary glands, liver, gall bladder,
pancreas
Histology of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT)

• The thick connective tissue layer of the digestive

tract that contains blood vessels, small glands, and
a nerve plexus is the submucosal layer.
 Pharynx
uvula & epiglottis protect airway when swallowing
(“deglutition”)
Esophagus:
muscular tube running from pharynx, posterior to
trachea, down thoracic cavity, through “esophageal
hiatus” of diaphragm, to lower esophageal (a.k.a.
cardiac) sphincter at junction of stomach
Stomach: Histology
Modifications in stomach include 3 layers of smooth
muscle in muscularis externa – 1- outer longitudinal,
2-middle circular, 3- innermost oblique layer
Cells in Gastric gland and its function
• Mucus cells: secrete mucus to protect epithelial cells
from enzymes & acid
• Parietal cells : Secrete HCl (for protein digestion) &
intrinsic factor (for B12 absorption)
• Chief cells: secrete pepsinogen which gets converted
to “pepsin” when mixed with HCl; for protein
digestion
• G cells : secrete gastrin to regulate stomach emptying

• Small Intestine: connects stomach to large intestine;

15-20’ long; 1” diameter; held together in abdominal
cavity by “mesentery proper”
• Duodenum : 10” in length; receives chyme from
stomach, secretions from liver, gallbladder & pancreas
• Jejunum: 8’ long; most digestion & absorption
occurs here
• Ileum: 12’ long; connects to cecum of large intestine
at iliocecal valve (sphincter)
• Modifications in mucosa & submucosa of intestinal
wall designed to increase functional surface area:
• Plicae circulares (circular folds) – large
transverse ridges; most abundant in jejunum
• Villi – small finger-like projections of mucosal
folds across surface of intestine that increase the
surface area for absorption
• Submucosa of each villus contains a capillary network
& a “lacteal” (lymphatic capillary) for absorption of
nutrients (fats)
• Intestinal glands within intestinal crypts secrete
“intestinal juice” – provides watery medium to keep
enzymes & digestive products in solution for help with
absorption
• Pancreas : Retroperitoneal elongated organ lying
posterior to stomach, from duodenum to spleen
• Endocrine Cells:-pancreatic islets of Langerhans
FUNCTION– secretes insulin & glucagon
• Exocrine secretory unit:- pancreatic acini – secretes
pancreatic juice (aka pancreatin) through pancreatic
duct(s) to duodenum
• Liver
• Largest organ within the body
 • Comprised of 4 lobes: Large right & left lobes &
caudate & quadrate
-Lobules comprised of rows of millions of liver cells
called Hepatocytes arranged radially around a central
vein
- Hepatocytes surround blood sinusoids (capillary
structures) which are partially lined with phagocytic
Kupffer (aka stellate reticuloendothelial) cells

• Begins at the ilium & ends at the anus

• ; 5’ long; 3” in diameter

3 regions:
• cecum - blind pouch; has appendix attached
• colon – ascending, (hepatic flexure), transverse,
(splenic flexure), descending, sigmoid
• rectum – last 1” known as “anal canal”

main functions of Large Intestine

– H2O re-absorption; absorption of some vitamins &
minerals; formation & temporary storage of fecal
material
no chemical (enzymatic) digestion but some bacterial
Simple columnar epithelium in mucosa, except at anal
canal (strat. Squam.)
No plicae circularis or villi
Modifications in muscularis externa & serosa :
 longitudinal muscle layer forms bands called “taeniae
coli” which create puckers known as “haustra”