Digestive System

Other nomenclature used is gastrointestinal system or alimentary system Composed of digestive tract and accessory organs

Digestive Tract

Starts with the lips in the mouth and ends in the anus Composed of the lips, oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestines, large intestines and anus Concerned with tearing, grinding, mixing

absorption of nutrients as well as excretion of unnecessary products of digestion

Oral Cavity

First portion of the digestive tract Functions: 1. intake of food 2. concerned with tearing and partial grinding of food 3. beginning of mechanical digestion 4. swallowing

Boundaries of Oral Cavity

Bounded infront by the lips and teeth at the back by the oropharynx On the sides are teeth and cheeks The roof is formed by the soft and hard palates and floor by the tongue

Two Divisions:

A. oral vestibule B. oral cavity proper

Oral Vestibule

Between lips and cheeks outside and teeth internally

Oral Cavity Proper

Bounded by the arch of the teeth

Lips

Most anterior portion of the oral cavity Has a mucosal and skin portions The mucosal surface is the red portion of the lips The skin is where hairs are found Opens and closes the oral cavity

Teeth

Tear and grind the floor Has three principal parts: 1. crown corona - projects above the gingiva or gums 2. root radix - projects below the gum - anchors the tooth 3. neck cervix - found between the root and crown

The Tooth

Teeth Has Four Types

1. incisors located directly behind the front part of lips - chisel-shaped for cutting of food

2. canines cuspids - lateral or at the sides of incisors - have conical crown for grasping and tearing of food

3. premolars bicuspids - posterolateral to the canines - have square ovoid crown with flat upper surface for crushing 4. molars tricuspids - lie behind the premolars

- have rounded, box like crown with flat surface for a crushing and grinding - have greater crushing force than premolars The dentin surrounds the central pulp cavity in both crown and root Enamel is a calcified material that covers the dentin of the crown

Tongue

Tongue

Mass of skeletal muscle in the floor of the oral cavity Contains receptors for taste Divided into two portions by the sulcus terminalis into anterior 2/3 and posterior 1/3

Tongue Has 4 types of Papillae

1. filliform most numerous 2. fungiform 3. foliate undeveloped in humans 4. circumvallate least numerous; largest and found infront of sulcus terminalis

Salivary Glands

Salivary Glands

Contribute to the formation of saliva Helps in digestion of food by producing enzymes Divided in 2 types according: 1. big salivary glands parotid, submandibular and sublingual glands 2. small salivary glands palatine, buccal, lingual glands

May also be classified according to type of secretion, according to fate of cell upon active secretion and according to number of cells that make up of a gland

Pharynx

Pharynx

Short, broad muscular tube lying behind the nasal cavity, oral cavity and larynx Divided into nasal, oral and laryngeal parts Continuous inferiorly to esophagus at 6th cervical vertebrae

Function: passage of food and air hence a part also of the respiratory tract Helps push the food to the esophagus

Esophagus

Esophagus

Begins at the neck opposite the 6th cervical vertebrae Passes downward behind the trachea 25 cm long narrow muscular tube that transports food from pharynx to stomach

Runs downward to the diaphragm at the level of 10th thoracic vertebra and opens into the stomach in the abdominal cavity

Esophagus Has 3 Constrictions:

1. at the cricopharyngeal area 2. at the level where it crossed by the left bronchus 3. as it enters the diaphragm Mainly for the passage of food

The Stomach

Stomach

Dilated portion of the digestive tract found in left upper part of abdominal cavity For temporary storage of food Adds mucus, acid and digestive enzymes for partial breakdown of food Roughly J-shaped with 2 openings: cardiac and pyloric orifices

The mucosa facing the lumen are thrown into folds called rugae

4 Major Regions of the Stomach

1. cardia narrow collar region at the point of the entry of the esophagus 2. fundus dome-shaped portion that projects upward to the left of cardiac orifice 3. body/corpus forms the bulk of the stomach - extends from the cardiac orifice to the notch in the lower part of the lesser curvature

4. pylorus most tubular part of stomach - with cavity for exit of food towards the duodenum called pyloric canal or orifice - guarded by pyloric sphincter Lesser curvature forms the right border of stomach Greater curvature is a convex portion that extends from cardiac orifice along the left border of the stomach

Secretes hydrochloric acid and pepsinogen by the parietal cells and chief cells respectively

Small Intestine

Small Intestine

Segment of alimentary tract where greatest part of digestion and food absorption takes place Divided into 3 segments: 1. duodenum 2. jejunum 3. ileum

Duodenum

C-shaped tube about 25 cms long divided into 4 portions Retroperitoneal except the first inch of the 1st portion

2nd portion is pierced by the common bile duct and pancreatic ducts

Jejunum

2.5 meters long Begins at the duodenojejunal flexure Mostly situated on the upper left quadrant of the abdomen Has wider lumen, thicker walls and more red in color than ileum Suspended from posterior abdominal wall by mesentery

Ileum

3.6 meters long Occupies the lower part of the abdomen Suspended by mesentery Opens into cecum

Large Intestine

Large Intestine

Commences from ileum to the anus Functions: 1. absorption of water 2. production of Vitamin K 3. storage of undigested food materials 4. formation and excretion of fecal materials

Large Intestine

Divided into cecum, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon, rectum, anal canal Cecum blind ended pouch lying on the right iliac fossa - attached on its posteromedial surface is the appendix

Appendix very narrow lumen around 0.5-0.8 cms Rectum where fecal materials are collected to be excreted in anal canal

Differences of Small and Large Intestines

1. small intestine more mobile than large intestine ( ascending and descending colon ) because most of small intestines are suspended by mesentery 2. major part of small intestine is provided with mesentery whereas large intestine are retroperitoneal except for the cecum, transverse colon and sigmoid colon

3. small intestines have smaller diameter than large intestine 4. taenia coli are present in large intestine which are absent in small intestine 5. appendices epiplocae are found in large intestine 6. walls of SI are smooth while LI are sacculated

Liver

Liver

Largest gland of the body Found on the right upper quadrant of abdomen embedded beneath the ribs and costal cartilages

Divided into 2 major lobes and 2 minor lobes: 2 major lobes: 1. left lobe 2. right lobe 2 minor lobes: 1. quadrate lobe 2. caudate lobe

Covered by fibrous capsule and partly covered by peritoneum Processes and detoxifies food substance for blood clotting mechanisms Storage site for glucose, fats and Vit. A Primarily made up of cells hepatocytes

Gallbladder

Gallbladder

Pear-shaped sac found on the posteroinferior portion of the liver Stores and concentrates bile Has a fundus, body and neck Neck is continuous with cystic duct

Cystic duct drains the concentrated bile to the common bile duct. The cystic duct

Joins the common hepatic duct to form a common bile duct The bile from common bile duct drains to the 2nd portion of the duodenum as it joined by the main pancreatic duct

1. Fatty chyme enters small intestine 2. intestinal mucosal cells secrete cholecystokinin 3. hormone travels in blood and stimulates muscular gallbladder wall to contract 4. bile flows down bile duct to sphincter 5. sphincter relaxes and bile enters duodenum

Pancreas

Pancreas

Both an exocrine and endocrine organ Found posterior to the stomach and behind peritoneum Has the following portions: 1. head disc-shaped - lies within the concavity of Cshaped duodenum - uncinate process projection

to the left from the lower part of the head 2. neck connects the head and body 3. body bulk of pancreas found at the back of the stomach 4. tail extends at the hillus of the spleen

Exocrine it secretes pancreatic juices and enzymes that aids in digestion Endocrine presence of pancreatic islets which contain cells that secrete insulin, glucagon, somatostatin and protein polypeptides

2 excretory ducts: 1. main pancreatic duct of Wirsung 2. accessory pancreatic duct of Santorini

Rectum

Rectum

Also known as retroperitoneal Caudal organ in the digestive system Consists of three lateral curves or bends These are represented internally as three transverse folds called the rectal valves These valves are important as to separate the feces ( stool ) from flatus ( gas ) Controlled by two sphincters: internal anal

Sphincter and external anal sphincter The former set of muscles is primarily involuntary while the latter part is voluntary.

Definition of Terms

Alimentary pertaining to food Appendices epiplocae fatty tissues that are found on the wall of the external large intestine

Buccal - pertaining to cheek

Digestion process of converting food into material fit to be absorbed and assimilated Gastric pertaining to stomach

Peritoneum serous membrane lining the abdomino pelvic walls and investing the

viscera Retroperitoneum behind the peritoneum Sphincter a ring line band of muscle fiber that constrict a passage or closes a natural orifice

Subcostal beneath the ribs Taenia coli band of incomplete outer longitudinal muscle in the colon

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