1LABORATORY 5: GASTROINTESTINAL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION

LEARNING OUTCOMES: By the end of this laboratory, you should be able to:

1. Identify the major organs of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in images, gross specimens and human
cadavers.
2. Describe the location of the major organs of the GI tract using the four quadrants and nine
anatomical regions.
3. Describe the major functions of the organs of the digestive system, including their role in
mechanical and chemical digestion, and reabsorption of water.
4. Differentiate between intraperitoneal and retroperitoneal location of digestive structures.
5. Describe the histology of the visceral and parietal peritoneum.
6. Define the terms peristalsis, segmentation, migrating myoelectric complex, and mass movement,
and discuss the role that these activities play in the function of various regions of the alimentary
canal (GI tract).
7. Explain how the digestive system relates to other body systems to maintain homeostasis.
8. Predict factors or situations affecting the digestive system that could disrupt homeostasis.

MATERIALS: Prosected cadavers, models, prosected GI systems, bisected head, Anatomy and Physiology
Revealed, radiographic images

Pre-lab Preparatory Activities:

Access Anatomy and Physiology Revealed. In the “My course content” area, the digestive module has been
customized to only include the structures listed in your lab handout.

From the dropdown list, choose

each topic, and examine all the
structures that appear in that list
(Figure 1). Note that in the “layers”
toggles, you can gradually dissect
deeper and deeper, which allows
you to see the relationships of the
organs from superficial to deep!

Figure 1 Topics tab in APR

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 Study these structures in multiple images. Pay close
attention to the box that includes the description,
location and function, so that you can connect the
anatomy to the physiology of the area (Figure 2).

Figure 2 Navigating the structural information box in APR

Do not forget, you have a wonderful quizzing tool in

APR! This tool allows you to take either a multiple
choice, or practical examination of your assigned
structures (Figure 3). Do these quizzes multiple times,
until you feel very confident in your answers. This
means you will be less likely to doubt yourself on your
lab assessment!

Figure 3 Quizzing feature in APR

Anatomy Lab Visit:

In the Human Anatomy lab, there will be a number of donors that with the organs still in the body, and
others in which the digestive systems have been removed. There will also be prosected digestive systems
available to study on the tables, which will allow you to examine the structures more closely and orient
the specimens for the best views. The following list of structures, like the digestive system itself, begins
with the oral cavity and ends with the rectum and anus. However, you will be able to view and study
these structures, and answer the questions regarding their functions, in multiple specimens.

I. Upper GI tract

1. Oral cavity - Use the anatomy resources available bisected head, models and the human
cadavers to identify the structures in the oral cavity.

i. Salivary glands
1. Submandibular gland
2. Sublingual gland
3. Parotid gland

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 ii. How is the release of saliva an example of the autonomic nervous system at work?
1. The release of saliva is an example of the ANS because your body makes you
salivate without thinking since the mouth is where digestion starts

iii. Tongue – Which cranial nerves innervate the tongue?- Hypoglossal and Vagus

iv. Hard and soft palate

v. What enzyme is secreted by the salivary glands? Which macronutrients does this act
upon?

1. Salivary amylase, it breaks the bonds between monomeric sugar units and
breaks down amylose and amylopectin into smaller chains of glucose.

vi. Is the oral cavity primarily involved with mechanical, or chemical digestion?
1. Mechanical

2. Pharynx
i. Nasopharynx

ii. Oropharynx

iii. Laryngopharynx – which two passageways does the laryngopharynx lead into? –
Larynx and esophagus

iv. For each region above, describe if it is part of the digestive system, respiratory
system, or shared by both!

1. Larynx is part of the respiratory system, esophagus is part of the digestive

system

3. Esophagus
i. What portion of the esophagus is skeletal muscle, and what portion is smooth? What
is the implication of this difference?
1. The upper portion is skeletal and distal is smooth muscle. The skeletal
muscle helps move food down the throat

ii. What type of tissue lines the lumen of the pharynx and esophagus?
1. Stratified squamous nonkeratinizing epithelium
iii. What are the 4 layers of the esophagus? Which layer is different from the rest of the
GI tract?
1. Mucosa, submucosa, muscularis propria and adventitia. Muscularis is
different

4. Stomach
i. Identify the cardia, fundus, body and pyloric antrum. Which area connects to the
esophagus, and which to the duodenum?
1. Pylorus connects to duodenum, the cardia connects to the esophagus

ii. Identify the greater and lesser curvatures.

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 iii. Identify the rugae (gastric folds) inside the stomach. What is the role of rugae?

1. Expansion of the stomach after the consumption of foods and liquids

iv. What type of tissue lines the walls of the stomach?

1. Thin simple columnar epithelial

v. What important acid is secreted by the stomach? Which macronutrient is it

primarily responsible for hydrolyzing?
1. Hydrochloric acid

vi. What other enzymes are secreted by the stomach that contribute to macronutrient
hydrolysis?
1. Pepsin, trypsin, and chymotrypsin

vii. What is intrinsic factor? Which cells of the stomach secrete it? If they were lost or
not working properly, what vitamin deficiency would occur?
1. Enables body to absorb vitamin B12, parietal cells secrete it, vitamin B
deficiency would occur

II. Accessory GI Structures

1. Liver
i. Identify the right and left lobes of the liver.

ii. Identify the falciform ligament.

iii. What important substance, involved in fat digestion, is produced by the liver?
How does this substance reach the duodenum?
Bile, the bile duct

iv. What macronutrient is stored in the liver, and in what form?

i. Carbohydrates stored in the form of glycogen

2. Gall bladder
i. Common bile duct – what two ducts join together to form this duct? Into what
structure does the common bile duct release bile?
i. Common hepatic duct and cystic duct. Releases into the dudenum

3. Pancreas
i. Identify the head, body and tail of the pancreas.

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 ii. What enzymes are released by the pancreas? Which macronutrients do they act
upon?
i. Lipase- breaks down fat
ii. Protease- Breaks down proteins
iii. Amylase- Breaks down starches
iii. What substance is released by the pancreas to neutralize the acid from chyme?
i. Secretin

Clinical Connections:
Pernicious anemia occurs when there is there is autoimmune destruction of the cells that produce
intrinsic factor in the stomach. B12 is necessary for normal, healthy red blood cell formation. How
does this example demonstrate the digestive system’s role in homeostasis?

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is often treated with anti-muscarinic drugs, that block
the secretion of HCl. How does this demonstrate the parasympathetic nervous system’s role in
digestion?

Acute Pancreatitis occurs when there is damage to the exocrine cells of the pancreas, causing excess
release of activated enzymes into the digestive system. This can cause auto-digestion of the tissues in
the abdominal cavity. Using what you learned about the human body’s composition in ANAT 101,
explain why pancreatic enzymes can break down our own tissues.

Chronic Cholecystitis, or inflammation of the gall bladder, often leads to surgical removal of the gall
bladder. Why can we live without a gall bladder? Consider its role in digestion.

Appendicitis: Do you have your appendix? Why must the appendix be removed if it is at risk of
rupture?

4. Appendix

III. Lower GI tract

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1. Peritoneum

i. Describe the parietal and visceral peritoneum. Which layer forms the wall of the
abdominal cavity, and which lines the surface of the organs? What type of epithelial
tissue forms these layers, and how does that explain their role?
1. Parietal forms walls of cavity and visceral lines surface of the organs.
Mesothelial cells forms these layers

2. Lesser omentum

3. Greater omentum
i. Of what type of tissue does this structure appear to have an abundance?
1. Peritoneal mesothelial

4. The mesentery
i. What is the role of the mesentery?
1. Suspends small and large intestine from posterior abdomen wall, provides
conduit for blood vessels, nerves and lymphatic vessels

5. Small intestine (small bowel)

i. Describe the histology of the small intestine. How does it compare to the rest of the
GI tract, and how does that explain its function?
1. The small intestine has thinner walls than the large intestine.

ii. What is the plica circulares? What role do they play in digestion and absorption?
1. Mucous membrane that covers the small intestine. Increases total area for
absorption

i. Duodenum – what organs does this area receive chyme from? - Esophagus

ii. Jejunum

iii. Ileum

6. Large Intestine (large bowel/colon)

i. Cecum – At this point, is fecal matter fluid, or more solid? – More fluid

ii. Ascending colon

iii. Hepatic (right) flexure

iv. Transverse colon

v. Splenic (left) flexure

vi. Descending colon

vii. Sigmoid colon - At this point, is fecal matter fluid, or more solid? – More solid

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 viii. Surface features – what is the role of each, if any?
a. Taeniae coli
b. Haustra- Moves food slowly down to the next haustra
c. Epiploic (omental) appendages

IV. Summary chart of chemical digestion

Complete this simple chart to compare where the majority of the macronutrients are digested.
Indicate in the chart where they are finally absorbed. As an added bonus, try to list as many of the
enzymes involved that you can. Describe where water reabsorption occurs, and where the
majority of it occurs. Finally, recall the histology of these areas, and connect that to their
absorptive functions.

Carbohydrates Proteins Fats Water reabsorption

Oral Cavity Yes Yes No No

Esophagus No No No No

Stomach No Yes No No

Small intestine Yes Yes Yes Yes

Large intestine No No No No

V. Movement through the GI system

Define the following terms (use your resources) and describe how they contribute to movement of
digestive contents through the GI tract.
1. Gastric mixing – Smooth muscles contract propelling movement (peristalsis)
2. Peristalsis – Churns swallowed food mixing it with gastric juices
3. Mass movement – Intense movements where large intestine empties its contents
4. Haustral churning – Slow segmented movements within the large intestine
5. Segmentation- Slow progression of chyme through the system
6. Migrating motility complex- Occurs between meals and sweel residual undigested material
through the digestive tube

Clinical Connection:

Predict how the following conditions would affect fecal formation and normal defecation.
1) decreased water intake- Harder fecal formation
2) increased fiber intake- Softer fecal formation
3) Increased sympathetic nervous system stimulation- Less defecation
4) Lactose intolerance More defecation