DIGESTIVE

SYSTEM
DEFINITION
• Digestive system, with the help of the circulatory system,
is like a gigantic “meals on wheels system”, serving over
100 trillion customers the nutrients they need. It changes
food you eat into nutrients that your cells can use. It also
has its own quality control and waste disposal system.
• Also called GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
 FUNCTIONS OF THE DIGESTIVE
SYSTEM
1. Take in food.
2. Break down the food.
3. Absorb digested molecules.
4. Provide nutrients.
5. Eliminate wastes.
 OVERVIEW OF DIGESTION
2 MAIN GROUPS OF ORGANS IN THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

1. Alimentary Canal 2. Accessory Digestive Organs

a. Mouth a. Teeth
b. Pharynx b. Tongue
c. Esophagus c. Gall bladder
d. Stomach d. Salivary glands
e. Small intestines
e. Liver
f. Large intestines
f. Pancreas
MOUTH
• The first part of the digestive system.
• The entry point of food.
• Mechanical digestion also begins
here. The teeth and the tongue are
responsible for the breaking of large
food particles into smaller food
particles, while increasing the surface
area for faster chemical digestion.
• The smell and sight of food stimulates
your salivary glands to secrete a fluid
called saliva, consisting of water and
enzymes.
PHARYNX

• It is a common cavity that

leads to the esophagus (in
digestive system) and
trachea (in respiratory
system).
ESOPHAGUS

• It is a Muscular tube.
• It allows the food to travel from your mouth to
your stomach.
• It lies behind the windpipe (trachea).
• Food travels down the esophagus through a
series of rhythmic contractions (wave-like)
called peristalsis.
STOMACH

• J-shaped muscular bag that stores

the food you eat, breaks it down into
tiny pieces.
• Mixes food with Digestive Juices that
contain enzymes to break down
Proteins and Lipids.
• Acid (HCl) in the stomach Kills
Bacteria.
• Food found in the stomach is called
Chyme
SMALL
INTESTINES

• Small intestines are roughly 7

meters long
• Lining of intestine walls has
finger-like projections called
villi, to increase surface area.
• The villi are covered in
microvilli which further
increases surface area for
absorption.
 3 PARTS OF SMALL
INTESTINE

• Duodenum
U- shaped organ, approx. 30 cm in length. This
area completes most of the digestion process.
Enzymes are secreted into the duodenum from
the pancreas and the gallbladder.
• Jejunum
Approx. 2.5m long. Although absorption is also
completed here, it has more villi and microvilli;
its role is the absorption of nutrients.
• Ileum
Approx. 3m long. and has fewer villi and
microvilli than the two other parts. Although
absorption also occurs here, it is responsible for
pushing the waste materials into the large
intestines.
LARGE
INTESTINES
• About 1.5 meters long
• Absorbs more water, 90% of
water is reabsorbed back
into the bloodstream.
• Concentrate wastes

Rectum
Short term storage which
holds feces before it is
expelled).
TEETH

Mechanically break down food into

small pieces.

• INCISORS – chisel shaped for nipping

food.
• CANINES – cone shaped for tearing
• PREMOLARS – grinding food
• MOLARS - grinding food

• 32 teeth in the Permanent Dentition

TONGUE

• Mixes the food up with

saliva inside the mouth
to help in food
swallowing and taste.
GALLBLADDER

• Receives bile from the liver and

stores the bile then releases it
into the small intestine.
 SALIVARY GLANDS

• They secrete saliva juices that

contain enzymes that digest
starch and change it into
simple sugar.
LIVER
• Directly affects digestion by
producing bile.
• Bile helps digest fat
• Filters out toxins and waste
including drugs and alcohol and
poisons.
PANCREAS

• Produces digestive enzymes to digest fats,

carbohydrates and proteins.
• Regulates blood sugar by producing
insulin