Chapter 16: The Digestive System

MAJOR FUNCTION
● The function of the digestive system is to change these complex organic nutrient
molecules into simple organic and inorganic molecules that can then be absorbed into
the blood or lymph to be transported to cells.To breakdown big chunk of foods

FUNCTIONS
1. Ingestion and Mastication
● Consumption of food and chewing.(happens in the mouth)
2. Propulsion and Mixing
● Movement of the food from one end of the digestive tract to the other end and
the back and forth movement of the food in the tract that incorporates the
digestive system’s many secretions ()into the food.(pharynx to the small intestine)
3. Digestion and Secretion
● Digestion is the breakdown of large molecules to smaller ones to be absorbed
(chemical and mechanical process) and the addition of liquids, enzymes, and
mucus to the ingested food.
4. Absorption
● Absorption is the movement of molecules out of the digestive tract and into the
blood or lymphatic system.(the lumen of small intestine)
5. Elimination
● Elimination is the removal of undigested material, such as fiber from food, plus
other waste products from the body as feces.(large intestine to anus)

The Digestive System

- consists of the digestive tract/gastrointestinal (GI) tract – a tube extending from the
mouth to anus
- oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, stomach,small & large intestines and anus
 - consists of specific associated organs:salivary glands, liver, and pancreas
- The oral cavity and the esophagus are lined with a stratified epithelium, which protects
them from the abrasion of chewing and swallowing. The stomach and intestine are lined
with a columnar epithelium, which is specialized for secretion of digestive fluids and
absorption of nutrients.

MAJOR TUNICS OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT:

1. Mucosa
● Produces mucus (lubricant)
● The innermost tunic
○ Consist of 3 layers
■ the inner mucous epithelium,
● the innermost layer,
■ the lamina propria
● which is loose connective tissue
■ the muscularis mucosae
● a thin outer layer of smooth muscle

2. Submucosa
● Lies outside the mucosa
● Thick layer of loose connective tissue containing nerves, blood vessels, and
small glands.
● contains plexus where autonomic nerves innervate
3. Muscularis
● Lies above the submucosa
● consists of circular smooth muscle (inner)and longitudinal smooth muscle (outer)
● In the most parts of the digestive tract
● nerve plexuses of the submucosa and muscularis compose the enteric nervous
system.
●
4. Serosa/Adventitia
● Outermost layer
● consists of peritoneum
○ A smooth epithelial layer and its underlying connective tissue(Adventitia).
Abdominal Cavity
-largest hollow space of the body
-contains greater part of the digestive tract, the liver, and pancreas, the spleen, the kidneys and
adrenal glands located above the kidneys.

Peritoneum
● a membrane that covers not only theinside wall of the cavity but also every organ
or structure contained in it

○ Parietal Peritoneum
– covers the inside wall of the abdominal/ lines the wall of abdominal cavity
○ Visceral Peritoneum
– covers the organs
○ Peritoneal Cavity
– space between the visceral and parietal peritoneum/contains small
amount of serous fluid that permits the movement of the visceral
○ Peritonitis
– is the inflammation of the peritoneal cavity
○ Ascites
– accumulation of fluid inside peritoneal
 ○ Mesenteries
– connective tissue of organs in abdominal cavity / serous membrane attached
to the abdominal organs
○ Mesentery proper
– associated with the small intestine

○ Lesser omentum
– mesentery connecting lesser curvature of stomach and diaphragm
○ Greater omentum
– mesentery connecting greater curvature of stomach to transverse colon and
posterior body wall
○ Omental Bursa
– cavity or pocket/adipose tissue accumulates in the greater omentum,
giving it the appearance of a fat-filles apron that covers the anterior
surface of the abdominal viscera
○ Retroperitoneal
- abdominal organs lie against the abdominal wall, have no mesenteries / behind
peritoneum

The Oral Cavity

● Where the mechanical digestion start to happens (chewing or mastication)
● contains stratified squamous epithelia
● bounded by cheeks and contains the teeth and tongue
○ Lips
-muscular structures, formed mostly by the orbicularis oris muscle
-the color from the underlying blood vessels can be seen through the
thin,transparent epithelium, giving the lips a reddish-pink appearance.
○ Buccinator muscles
-located within the cheeks,flatten the cheeks against the teeth. The lips
and cheeks are important in the process of mastication or chewing
-help manipulate the food within the oral cavity and hold the food in place while
the teeth crush or tear it-cheeks also help form words during the speech process.
○ Tongue
- a large, muscular organ that occupies most of the oral cavity.
- major sensory organ for taste, as well as one of the major organs of
speech and swallowing
○ Frenulum
- thin fold of tissue that serves as anterior attachment of tongue to the floor of
mouth

○ Teeth
-32 teeth in normal adult; located in the mandible and maxilla
-Divided into four quadrants, with each contains: 1 central and lateral incisors, 1
canine,1st and 2nd premolars, 1st 2nd 3rd molars, wisdom
- 20 primary teeth (baby teeth)
-Each tooth has crown, cusp, neck, root-Center tooth is pulp cavity, which is filled
with blood vessels nerves and connective tissue called pulp, surrounded by a
living cellular bonelike called dentin
- Th e teeth are held in place within pockets in the bone, called alveoli
-The alveolar processes are covered by dense fibrous connective tissue and
moist stratified squamous epithelium, referred to as the gingiva or gums
-Periodontal ligaments secure the teeth in the alveoli by embedding into the
Cementum
● Permanent teeth or secondary teeth
- teeth of adults; most of them are replacements
for the 20 primary teeth
● Deciduous teeth or secondary teeth
- also called milk or baby teeth,which are lost during childhood
● Wisdom teeth
-3rd molar that appears in early 20s.

● Enamel - is hard covering and protect teeth against

abrasions and acids produced by bacteria in the mouth
● Cementum – root covering the dentin,which helps anchor the
tooth in the jaw
-

○ Palate
-or roof of the oral cavity, separates the oral cavity from the nasal cavity and
prevents food from passing into the nasal cavity during chewing and swallowing.
-consists of hard palate (anterior part)and soft palate (posterior part)Uvula –
posterior extension of the soft palate
-Uvula – posterior extension of the soft palate
○ Tonsils
-located in the lateral posterior walls of the oral cavity, in the nasopharynx,
and in the posterior surface of the tongue
○ Salivary glands
○
○