DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this lecture you should be able to:

 Identify the major structures of the digestive tract and their functions
 Outline the process of swallowing
 Outline the arrangement & functions of the peritoneum
 Describe the gross anatomy of the major sections of the gut tube
 Identify the histological layers of the digestive tract
 Explain the processes of peristalsis and segmentation
 Describe the accessory organs of the GIT
 Describe the vasculature of the digestive system
 DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

◾ components in more than one body region

◾ extends from mouth to anus
◾ major organs in abdomen

Anatomically divided into:

◾ gastrointestinal tract (GIT) – gut tube/alimentary canal
◾ accessory organs
 THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
N amed parts of GIT Accessory Organs
oral cavity
▪oral cavity ▪teeth
▪ pharynx ▪tongue
▪salivary glands
▪ oesophagus

▪ stomach
▪ small intestine
▪ large intestine abdominal cavity
▪ rectum ▪liver
▪ anal canal ▪gall bladder
▪pancreas
FUNCTIONS OF THE GIT
 FUNCTIONS & PROCESSES OF THE GIT

◾ receive food - ingestion

◾ breakdown ingested food to smaller particles - digestion

a) mechanical b) chemical

◾ take up nutrients from digested food - absorption

◾ remove waste products of digestion from body - elimination (defecation)

 CHEMICAL DIGESTION

◾ series of hydrolysis reactions

◾ break dietary macromolecules into their monomers (residues)
◾ digestive enzymes produced by salivary glands,stomach,pancreas & small intestine
◾ Results
◾ polysaccharides into monosaccharides
◾ proteins into amino acids
◾ fats into monoglycerides & fatty acids
◾ nucleic acids into nucleotides
◾ some nutrients present in usable form in ingested food & can be directly absorbed
◾ vitamins,amino acids,minerals,cholesterol & water
 SITE OF PROCESSES

◾ ingestion - oral cavity

◾ digestion - oral cavity,stomach,small intestine
◾ absorption - small intestine,some in large intestine
◾ elimination - large intestine,rectum,anal canal
◾ processes require specializations or specialized structures
◾ in gut tube,mostly cellular - histology
 THE ORAL CAVITY

◾ lips & cheeks retain food & push

it between teeth
◾ subcutaneous fat,buccinator &
orbicularis oris muscles
◾ roof:bony hard palate anteriorly,
soft palate posteriorly
 ACCESSORY ORGANS OF ORAL CAVITY:
TONGUE

◾ rests on a muscular floor

◾ muscular – extrinsic & intrinsic muscles
◾ non-keratinised stratified squamous epithelium
◾ manipulates food between teeth
◾ senses taste & texture of food
◾ papillae:sites of most taste buds
◾ mechanical digestion
ACCESSORY ORGANS OF ORAL CAVITY:TEETH
2:1:2:3
Mechanical digestion
 PALATE

Soft palate U vula

Hard palate

Palatine
tonsil

Mechanical digestion
 MUSCLES OF MASTICATION
Temporalis
M asseter

Mechanical digestion

M edial pterygoid Lateral pterygoid

 ACCESSORY ORGANS OF ORAL CAVITY:
SALIVARY GLANDS

◾ saliva moistens mouth

◾ dissolves molecules to stimulate the taste buds
◾ salivary amylase & lipase - enzymes that begin starch & fat digestion
◾ mucus:binds & lubricates mass of food [bolus] - aids in swallowing
◾ lysozyme:enzyme that kills bacteria
◾ antibodies that inhibit bacterial growth
◾ continuous secretion,reflex action
◾ chemical digestion
 SALIVARY GLANDS

 three pairs connected to oral cavity by ducts

 parotid:beneath skin anterior to earlobe - mumps [virus]

 submandibular gland:duct empties near the lower central incisors
 sublingual gland:in floor of mouth - multiple ducts emptying submandibular duct

Parotid Sublingual Submandibular

 PHARYNX

◾ incomplete muscular tube

◾ constrictor muscles

3 parts
◾ nasopharynx

◾ oropharynx

◾ laryngopharynx
 OESOPHAGUS
◾ muscular tube
◾ extends from pharynx to stomach [continuous with muscle of pharynx]
◾ +/- 25 cm long

◾ upper 1/3 skeletal muscle

◾ middle 1/3 skeletal & smooth muscle
◾ lower 1/3 smooth muscle

◾ via oesophageal hiatus in diaphragm into stomach

 GASTRO-OESOPHAGEAL JUNCTION
 diaphragm
 cardiac sphincter – continuous with stomach musculature
 mucosal fold & smooth muscle tone
 intrathoracic pressure < abdominal
 stomach pressure > oesophagus
 prevents gastric reflux
 Gastro-oesophageal junction

 cellular transitional zone

 2 types of epithelium
 2 different physiological environments
 LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this lecture you should be able to:

 Identify the major structures of the digestive tract and their functions√
 Outline the process of swallowing
 Outline the arrangement & functions of the peritoneum
 Describe the gross anatomy of the major sections of the gut tube
 Identify the histological layers of the digestive tract
 Explain the processes of peristalsis and segmentation
 Describe the accessory organs of the GIT
 Describe the vasculature of the digestive system
 SWALLOWING [DEGLUTITION]

◾ involves muscles of the mouth, pharynx & esophagus

◾ swallowing centre:nuclei in medulla oblongata that coordinate swallowing
◾ communicates with muscles of pharynx & esophagus by way of C N V,VI1, IX, XII

Swallowing occurs in three phases:

◾ oral
◾ pharyngeal
◾ oesophageal
SW ALLO WIN G: ORAL PHASE

1) Oral phase
Tongue forms a food bolus &
pushes it into laryngopharynx
SW ALLO WING: PHARYNGEAL PHASE

2) Pharyngeal phase.

Involuntary. Palate,tongue,vocal cords

& epiglottis block oral & nasal cavities &
airway. Breathing suspended.
Pharyngeal constrictors push bolus into
the esophagus.
SW ALLO WIN G: OESOPHAGEAL PHASE

3) Oesophageal phase.
Involuntary.Peristalsis drives
bolus downward. Relaxation of
lower esophageal sphincter admits
bolus into stomach.
 LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this lecture you should be able to:

 Identify the major structures of the digestive tract and their functions√
 Outline the process of swallowing √
 Outline the arrangement & functions of the peritoneum
 Describe the gross anatomy of the major sections of the gut tube
 Identify the histological layers of the digestive tract
 Explain the processes of peristalsis and segmentation
 Describe the accessory organs of the GIT
 Describe the vasculature of the digestive system
 ABDOMINAL CAVITY

 largest body cavity

 major portion of tract & accessory organs

 abdomino-pelvic: diaphragm to pelvis

 W ALLS OF THE ABDOMEN: MUSCLES

Anterior and lateral walls:four muscles

◾ external oblique
◾ internal oblique
◾ transversus abdominis
◾ rectus abdominis

◾ origins:ribs & ilium & fascia

◾ insertion:via aponeurosis to linea alba
◾ functions:flexion/lateral flexion of trunk & compression of abdomen
BENEATH THE LAYERS…
 A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND….

In embryo,gut forms as simple tube

◾ develops sequentially - three sections

(i) foregut

(ii) midgut

(iii) hindgut

suspended from abdominal wall by peritoneum

 PERITONEUM

◾ fibrous membrane + simple squamous epithelium - serous fluid

◾ parietal (walls) & visceral (organs)

◾ intraperitoneal - enclosed

◾ partially lined - retroperitoneal

◾ peritoneal cavity between parietal & visceral layers

 GRO WTH & DEVELOPMENT OF GIT

Abdomen & contents go from (a) to (b)

← gut tube

Dr Warton

a b
 GRO WTH & DEVELOPMENT OF GIT

◾ gut tube much longer than cavity

◾ coils,herniates & rotates

◾ must keep attachment to abdominal wall - avoid twisting

◾ ventral (foregut) & dorsal mesenteries [peritoneum]

 MESENTERIC ATTACHMENTS OF GIT

Ventral mesentery ↓
 FUNCTIONS OF PERITONEUM

◾ passage of blood vessels & nerves to GIT

◾ prevents torsion/twisting of gut & blood vessels

◾ mobility of gut tube/organs

◾ limit infection
 LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this lecture you should be able to:

 Identify the major structures of the digestive tract and their functions√
 Outline the process of swallowing √
 Outline the arrangement & functions of the peritoneum √
 Describe the gross anatomy of the major sections of the gut tube
 Identify the histological layers [microscopic anatomy] of the digestive tract
 Explain the processes of peristalsis and segmentation
 Describe the accessory organs of the GIT
 Describe the vasculature of the digestive system
 STOMACH

◾ widest,most distensible
◾ temporary storage tank for food – no/little absorption
◾ chemical digestion - food converted into liquid chyme
◾ intraperitoneal - mobile
◾ left upper abdomen
◾ 30 cm long,15 cm wide
◾ named regions
 STOMACH

Oesophagus Cardia Fundus

Body Pyloris
Duodenum
 LESSER & GREATER OMENTA

25-38
Photos © McGraw-Hill Education
 SMALL INTESTINE

◾ centrally in abdominal cavity

◾ mostly intraperitoneal

◾ highly convoluted

◾ ± 6 m long

◾ 3 named parts:morphologically & physiologically similar

 DUODENUM
◾ continuous with pyloric region of stomach

◾ posterior abdominal wall

◾ C -shaped – related to pancreas

◾ horizontal, descending,transverse & ascending

◾ continuous with jejunum

 JEJUNUM & ILEUM

◾ proximal 2/5 jejunum,distal 3/5 ileum

◾ intraperitoneal (mobile)

◾ common blood supply,innervation,mesenteric support

◾ jejunum wider,thicker walls

◾ ileum > lymphatics & > fat on mesentery

◾ ends at ileocaecal junction