Digestive System Flashcards
What are the four functions of the digestive system?
- ) Ingestion (taking in of food)
- ) Digestion (breaking food down into smaller pieces)
- ) Absorption (uptake of nutrients)
- ) Elimination (Disposal of waste)
What do incisors do?
cut food (grass, leaves carrots)
What do canines do?
stab or tear meat. They are also a sexual display in some species
What do premolars do?
Specialize to other functions
What do molars do?
Grinding food.
How does food down the esophagus?
Through muscle contraction working with gravity.
In more detail, the circular muscles of the esophagus contract behind good. Then longitudinal muscles contract lengthening the food mass and pushing it forward.
What does the epiglottis do?
It makes sure that food goes down the esophagus not the trachea
What is the primary target of the stomaches gastric juices?
Proteins
What is the sphincter called that separates the stomach form the duodenum of the small intestine?
The pyloric sphincter
What is the stomach’s mixtures of food and digestive juices called?
Chyme
What causes gastric ulcers?
When H. pylori gets under the mucus layer of the stomach and causes inflammation
Where does 80% of the digestive tracts nutrient absorption take place?
The small intestine
How does the small intestine manage so much absorption?
Absorption is a product of surface area. The small is covered with finger like projections called villi. These villi add to surface area.
What happens in the duodenum?
It receives chime form the stomach and secretions from the pancreas and liver.
What happens in the jejunum?
Region of most digestion and nutrient absorption.
What do bile salt do?
They are amphipathic and break large fat globules into smaller fat droplets. This increased surface area make the lipase more effective
What does the pancreas do?
It secrets three classes of digestive enzymes to break down fat, proteins and carbohydrates.
It also secretes buyers that raise the pH level of the chyme coming from the stomach so that the small intestine won’t be damaged.
What does the pancreas do when glucose levels are high?
It secretes insulin.
What does each villus have inside of it?
Blood vessels and lymphatic vessels
Why is so important to chew?
Increase surface area of food to aid in chemical digestion.
What is peristalsis?
Esohpogeal contractions which move food down your throat
What is chyme?
The contents of the stomach after HCL is added
What is the primary thing digested in the stomach?
protein
