Human Physiology Flashcards
(139 cards)
Digestion
Breakdown of food into smaller pieces for effective absorption by the villi into the bloodstream.
Mouth
Voluntary control of eating and swallowing, mechanical digestion of chewing and chemical starch digestion by saliva, which contains lubricants and enzymes
Esophagus
Movement of food by peristalsis from mouth to the stomach
Stomach
Churning and mixing with secreted water and acid to kill foreign bacteria and other pathogens in food and to initiate protein digestion
Small Intestine
Final stages of digestion, neutralizing stomach acid and absorb nutrients
Pancreas
Lipase, amylase and protease secretion to aid digestion
Liver
Secretion of surfactants in bile to break up lipid droplets
Gallbladder
Storage and regulated release of bile
Large intestine
Re - absorption of water, further digestion especially of carbohydrates, formation and storage of feces
Digestion Full Process
- Food is chewed in the mouth, turned into bolus by amylase
- Bolus enter the esophagus, move to the stomach by peristalsis
- Stomach churns food with acid, becoming chyme. Acid kills bacteria and starts protein digestion
- Chymes enters small intestine, where acid needs to be neutralized. Enzymes in SI have optimum pH for digesting lipids or further digest carbohydrates and proteins. Absorption starts at the beginning of the ileum
- Food enters large intestine: undigested material and digestive juices. Water, vimatins K and B, minerals reabsorbed
- Feces formed in LI stored in the rectum before egestion
Peristalsis
The longitudinal muscle contracts to widen the lumen, allowing the bolus to move down. The circular muscle contracts to constrict the lumen, pushing it further down.
Mechanical Digestion
Physically breaking down food through chewing, grinding, churning into smaller pieces
Chemical Digestion
Breaking down food into its basic components using enymes.
Pancreatic Amylase
Secreted by the pancreas into the small intestine, breaks down starch into maltose. Optimal pH of 7
Pepsin
Secreted by the stomach into the stomach, breaks down proteins into amino acids. Optimal pH of 2
Pancreatic Lipase
Secreted by the pancreas into the small intestine, breaks down triglycerides into glycerol and fatty acids. Optimal pH of 7.2
Lipid Digestion
- Fat globule separated into smaller micelles by bile (amphiphilic)
- The hydrophobic side attaches to the emulsified droplets, exposing the hydrophilic side to the exterior to prevent the droplets from reforming
- The pancreas secretes lipase after to conduct hydrolysis
Protein Digestion
- Pepsin in the stomach breaks protein chains into peptones and proteoses
- In the small intestine, trypsin and chymotrypsin break peptones and proteoses into single or double amino acid units
- Hydrolysis occurs to separated amino acids
Carbohydrate Digestion
- Salivary amylase breaks up long chains
- In the small intestines, pancreatic enzymes break dissacharides into monosaccharides
Acinar Cells
Found in the pancreas, secrete digestive enzymes
Path of Pancreatic Enzymes from Stomach to SI
Pancreatic juice containing the enzymes, carried through the pancreatic duct to the duodenum, released into the lumen of the SI
Examples of SI Enzymes
- Nuclease break down DNA and RNA
- Maltase breaks down maltose into glucose
- Lactase: lactose into galactose and glucose
Absorption
The movement of nutrients from the digestive system into the body through the bloodstream. Mostly occurs in the small intestine
Structure of the Small Intestine
- Folds in the lining increases SA with villi and microvilli
- Layers from inner to outer: mucosa, submucosa, muscularis and serosa