Digestive System

This lecture is a guide and does not contain the full information. Please
refer to the references attached
Scientific Committee-Phase1
 Lecture ILOs

Identify the organs of digestive system.

Describe the basic processes performed by the digestive system.
Outline the location and digestive function of different parts of the
alimentary tract.
Outline the location and digestive function of the salivary glands,
liver, and pancreas.
References (in pages; links if available)
Physiology of the digestive system
Digestive system organization
Gastrointestinal tract Accessory
(GIT) structures
(Alimentary canal)

- Mouth Salivary glands

- Oral Cavity Liver & Gall bladder
- Pharynx Pancreas
- Esophagus
- Stomach
- Small intestine
- Large intestine
- Anus 4
 Functions of the Digestive
System

Three main functions of the digestive system:

• Breaking down large food particles into small nutrient molecules

that the body can use.

• These small molecules are then absorbed into the blood stream.

• Indigestible particles remain → elimination from the body.

 Digestion
 Digestion is the breakdown of large, complex organic molecules into
smaller, more simple components that can be:

1. Absorbed by diffusing across plasma membranes of the cells

lining the intestinal wall.

2. Used by the body for energy, growth and repair.

• Digestion begins immediately after food has been ingested

• It includes all the processes that mechanically and chemically break down

food into nutrients.

 1-Mechanical digestion
The change of the physical state of the food by:
• Mastication in the mouth– reducing the food particle size through chewing,
and mixes food with saliva.
• Churning: in the stomach and so they are well mixed with the gastric juice.
• Segmentation: of the small intestine.
• Haustration: of the large intestine.
 2-Chemical digestion
 It is the changes in chemical composition of food as it travels through the digestive tract;
these changes are the result of hydrolysis by digestive enzymes.
The final step of digestion of food substances occurs on the surface of small intestinal
epithelium (enterocytes).
Characteristics of Enzymes:

1- It has specific substrate e.g. Proteases hydrolyze

proteins, Lipases hydrolyze fats and amylases
hydrolyze starch.
2- Function optimally at a specific pH e.g. salivary amylase
stops working when it reaches stomach.
3-Enzymes are continually destroyed or eliminated from
Brush border enzymes
the body and must continually be synthesized.
 Synthesized by
enterocytes.

Into the lumen of GIT

tract

(microvilli)
which help
absorption of a.a ,
maltase) glucose ( Digestion-
Absorption coupling)
Not free in the
intestinal lumen.
 Food Propulsion
• Deglutition (Swallowing): in oropharynx.

• Peristalsis: along all GIT starting from esophagus to stomach to small

intestine.
• In large intestine by mass movement.
 Functions of the GI Tract
• Ingestion: taking in of food through the mouth.
• Mechanical & chemical Digestion.

• Propulsion (motility): swallowing and peristalsis.

• Secretion: release of hormones and enzymes, mucus, acids, and buffers

by the digestive tract and by the accessory organs into the lumen of the
digestive tract.
• Absorption: Movement of small organic molecules, electrolytes, vitamins,
and water across the digestive epithelium and into the blood (hepatic
Portal vein) and lymph.
• Excretion (Defecation): passage of stool/faeces which is first compacted
and then discharged from the rectum to the exterior.
 Salivary glands
Three pairs: that produce saliva.
1. Parotid: on the side of the face (swell with the mumps).
2. Sublingual: both found below tongue.
3. Submandibular: both found in lower jaw.
Functions of Saliva
1. Lubrication: facilitate mastication, swallowing and speech.
2. Digestive functions:
Salivary  amylase starts digestion of cooked starch.
Lingual lipase: starts lipid digestion.
3. Dissolving: of dry food molecules to be tasted
4. Oral hygiene:
• Oral cavity is almost constantly flushed with saliva,
• Saliva also contains lysozyme, and IgA that lyses and kill many bacteria and viruses.
• Saliva also contains lactoferrin (bacteriostatic) that prevents overgrowth of oral
microbial populations.
 Stomach
J-shaped pouch located slightly to
the left in the body with a volume
of approximately 1 liter, has two
openings cardiac and pyloric.

Functions
1. Storage area for ingested food (empties in 2-6 hours)
2. Main place for protein digestion by the enzyme pepsin.
3. Hydrochloric acid (HCl) secretion: acid pH kills germs, needed for
digestion and for pepsinogen activation.
4. Secrete mucus to protect gastric wall from the harm of Hcl.
5. Secrete intrinsic factor essential for vitamin B12 absorption.
6. Limited absorption of small molecules (e.g. Aspirin, ethanol)
The duodenum is a “mixing bowl” that receives chyme from the stomach and
digestive secretions from the pancreas and liver.
- Stomach acid is neutralized here,
- Fats are physically broken up (emulsified) by the bile salts,
- Pepsin is inactivated by the elevated pH, and pancreatic enzymes take over the
job of chemical digestion.
 Pancreas
Has exocrine function through the

production of pancreatic juice that contains:

 Digestive enzymes (protease, amylase & lipase)

 Sodium bicarbonate neutralizes acidic chyme.

Has endocrine functions

Through the production of insulin hormone that influences the cells

uptake of glucose & decreasing blood glucose , and glucagon hormone
that does the opposite & share with insulin to adjust blood sugar.
Liver & gall bladder
• Liver is the largest organ in the body.
• It produces bile that is stored in the gall bladder.
• Bile is greenish yellow pigment that is made of bile pigment (from
breakdown of old RBCs-Bilirubin metabolism) and bile salts.
& Erythropoietin
 Small intestine
For increasing the surface area of
absorption:
1. Walls are highly convoluted.
2. Circular folds are covered with villi;
tiny fingerlike projections.
3. The apical surface of the epithelial
cells covered with microvilli (Brush
border); site of enzymatic digestion.
3 - 6 meters long divided into 3 parts:
a. Duodenum (first 25-30 cm): secrete an
abundance of bicarbonate-rich mucus.
b. Jejunum (2.5m).
c. Ileum (3.0m).
Microvilli villi
 Functions of small intestine:
• Completes digestion:
Mechanically: by segmentation movement for mixing chyme.
Chemically: Pancreatic enzymes, bile acids & brush border
enzymes.
• Absorption of nutrients (90%):
a. Monosaccharaides , amino acids, short peptides and short chain fatty
acids are transported into intestinal cells and diffuse into veins that
collect and form hepatic portal vein entering the liver for processing
before reaching systemic circulation.
b. Fats diffuse into intestinal cells and are deposited in the lacteals as
chylomicrons (lymph vessel in the villi) forming milky white lymph
called chyle.
Nutrient absorption
Large Intestine
6 parts
1. Cecum & Ascending colon
2. Transverse colon
3. Descending colon
4. Sigmoid colon
5. Rectum - stores feces
6. Anus muscles close the rectum until release of
feces is appropriate
Functions
 Reabsorption of water.
(small intestine receives 9 liters of fluids, about 7.5 liters are absorbed in small intestine
and 1.5 liters pass to the large intestine where they absorbed except 100 - 200 ml passes
with the stool).
 Formation of feces.
 Synthesis of vitamins: B's and K by intestinal flora.
 Thank you

This lecture is a guide and does not contain the full information. Please
refer to the references attached
Scientific Committee-Phase1