Digestion

By : Durre Shahwar
HND 1st year
 Digestion is the complex process by
which food is broken down into smaller,
absorbable molecules that can be
utilized by the body. It involves
mechanical and chemical processes
occurring in various organs along the
digestive tract.
 Ingestion
Swallowing

Stomach digestion
Digestion
Intestinal digestion and
absorption

Faeces formation

Elimination
 Ingestion
What is Ingestion?
Ingestion is the process by which food and
liquids are taken into the body through the
mouth, swallowed, and transported to the
digestive system for further processing. It is a
vital part of the digestive process and is
essential for nourishment and energy
production in the body.
 Muscles involved in
mastication
During the process of mastication, there are
chewing muscles that are associated with the
entire process. There are 4 major muscles of
mastication: lateral pterygoid, masseter,
medial pterygoid, and temporalis.
The temporalis muscle originates from the floor of
the temporal fossa and inserts onto the coronoid
process of the mandible.The masseter muscle
provides powerful elevation and protrusion of the
mandible
Swallowing and Peristalsis
 Stomach anatomy

The stomach is much like a bag with a lining. The stomach is made of these five layers:
Mucosa. This is the first and innermost layer or lining. It contains the glands that release digestive juices. These are called
hydrochloric acid and pepsin. This is where most stomach cancers start.
Submucosa. This second layer supports the mucosa. It is rich in blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and nerves.
Muscularis. The third layer is made of thick muscles. They help to mix food with the digestive juices.
Subserosa. This layer contains supporting tissues for the serosa.
Serosa. This is the last and outermost layer. It’s the lining that wraps around the stomach to confine it.
 Stomach digestion
When food reaches the stomach, it stays for
approximately 4 to 5 hours. There are various gastric
glands in the mucosa lining of the stomach. The mucus
neck cells secrete mucus. The Peptic Cells secrete the
proenzyme pepsinogen. The Parietal or Oxyntic Cells
secrete HCl (Hydrochloric acid) and intrinsic factor that
is essential for vitamin B12 absorption.
Gastric juices and enzymes:
HCl provides the acidic pH.
Pepsinogen(proenzyme) is converted into Pepsin by HCl
Pepsin, in turn, converts protein into peptones & proteoses.
Prorenin (proenzyme) is converted into Renin by HCl.
Casein (milk protein) is converted into peptides by Renin
Small intestine anatomy

It extends from the pylorus of

the stomach to the ileocaecal
junction, where it meets the
large intestine at the ileocaecal
valve. Anatomically, the small
bowel can be divided into three
parts: the duodenum, jejunum,
and ileum.
 Chemical digestion in small intestine
To help break food down, the small intestine receives digestive juices from other organs in
your digestive system, including your liver, gallbladder and pancreas. Ducts from these
organs feed into the duodenum. Hormone glands in the lining of the duodenum signal
these organs to release their chemicals when food is present.
 The chyme formed within the stomach moves into the
small intestine for the final stage of digestion.
The chyme is treated with the bile juice released from the
gall bladder which helps to emulsify the fat and make it
easier for the enzymes to break it down.
The glands around the small intestine pour their secretions
within the small intestine where the breakdown activity
takes place.
The pancreas secretes the pancreatic juice which contains
enzymes like lipase, trypsin, and chymotrypsin.
Lipase breaks down the fat globules and trypsin and
chymotrypsin work on polypeptides and converts them to
single units of amino acids.
Once all this digestion is complete the small intestine walls
having villi help in the absorption of this food.
 Absorption
Absorption is the process by which the products of digestion are absorbed
by the blood to be supplied to the rest of the body.
In the small intestine, absorption occurs through the lumenal face of the
mucosa, which is covered with finger-like projections called villi
Each villus has a central core
composed of one artery and
one vein, a strand of muscle, a
centrally located lymphatic
capillary (lacteal), and
connective tissue that adds
support to the structures
• Carbohydrate absorption : Glucose and galactose are absorbed across the
apical membrane by secondary active transport (along with Na+) through
the Sodium-Glucose cotransporter (SGLT1).the blood.
• Protein absorption : Amino acids are absorbed via a Sodium
cotransporter, in a similar mechanism to the monosaccharides. They are
then transported across the basolateral membrane via facilitated diffusion.
Di and tripeptides are absorbed via separate H+ dependent cotransporters
and once inside the cell are hydrolysed to amino acids.
• lipid absorption : Inside the cell, the products are re-esterified to form the
original lipids, triglycerides, cholesterol and phospholipids. The lipids are
then packaged inside apoproteins to form a chylomicron. The chylomicrons
are too large to enter circulation, so they enter lymphatic system via
lacteals.
Large intestine anatomy