THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEMBrooke Vaughn

THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

Series of connected organs

Breaks down food, absorbs nutrients, eliminates waste

FUNCTIONS OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

Ingestion

Digestion

Absorption

Defecation

ORGANS OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

Alimentary canal or gastrointestinal (GI) tract

Accessory organs

ALIMENTARY CANAL

Mouth Food enters the GI tract

Mixed with saliva and masticated

Pharynx Passageway for food, fluids, and air

Esophagus Conducts food by peristalsis to the stomach

Stomach Temporary storage tank for food

Site of food breakdown

Coated walls of mucous

Gastric juice, intrinsic factor, pepsinogens

Produces chyme

Small intestine Central place of digestion and absorption

Large intestine Dries out the indigestible food residue by

absorbing water

Eliminates residues from the body

ACCESSORY ORGANS

Teeth Masticate

Salivary glands Produce saliva

Bolus

Pancreas Produces enzymes that break down all

categories of digestible foods

Liver One of the most important organs

Produces bile

Gallbladder Concentrates bile by the removal of water

COMMON DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS

Abdominal pain

Blood in stool

Diarrhea

Bloating

Constipation

Nausea

Vomiting

DISEASES

Gastroenterology—gastroenterologist

Colon cancer is one of the most common

Digestive diseases are often related to our diets

BARRETT’S ESOPHAGUS AND GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE