Digestive System Accessory Organs

A layer of muscle in the gastrointestinal tract responsible for peristalsis.

Liver cells that perform metabolic, secretory, and endocrine functions.

Duct that connects the gallbladder to the common bile duct.

Muscle valve controlling bile and pancreatic juice flow into the duodenum.

Thin connective tissue surrounding the liver, contains blood vessels.

The liver's ability to regrow and restore its tissue after injury or partial removal.

Network of ducts that transport bile from the liver to the gallbladder and duodenum.

A process where secretory granules discharge their contents outside the cell.

A hormone secreted by alpha-cells that raises blood glucose levels during hypoglycemia.

A hormone that inhibits the secretion of insulin and glucagon, slowing nutrient uptake.

The breakdown of secretory granules by lysosomal enzymes.

Stored form of glucose in the liver and muscle for later energy use.

Plasma proteins like fibrinogen and thrombin are synthesized in the liver.

Bile salts help absorb dietary fats by emulsifying them.

A condition characterized by unusually fatty feces due to fat malabsorption.

A toxic greenish pigment resulting from the breakdown of hemoglobin from old red blood cells.

Liver cells that remove bilirubin and other toxins from the blood.

Abnormal accumulation of bilirubin in the blood, leading to yellowing of the skin and eyes.

An antibody synthesized in the gut to protect mucosal surfaces, complexed with a secretory component.

Process where bilirubin is converted to a water-soluble form in the liver for excretion.

Liver cells take up hormones via receptor-mediated endocytosis to regulate bodily functions.

The process where mRNA is converted into an amino acid sequence by tRNA.

An inactive precursor that hydrolyzes proteins into smaller peptides or amino acids.

An inactive enzyme that, once activated, breaks down proteins into smaller peptides or amino acids.

A precursor enzyme that hydrolyzes small proteins into peptides or amino acids when activated.

Lymphatic vessels that drain fluid and immune cells from tissues to lymph nodes.

A cranial nerve that supplies autonomic control to various organs, including the pancreas.

Branches of the hepatic arteries supplying blood to the duodenum and pancreas.

The process where enzymes are produced in inactive forms and activated in the intestine to prevent autodigestion.

An enzyme that breaks down starch and glycogen into glucose and small saccharides.

Clusters of endocrine cells in the pancreas that secrete hormones such as insulin and glucagon.

A secretion-producing organ located posterior to the stomach that secretes digestive enzymes.

Cells that are pale-staining with low density, continuous with intercalated ducts, and involved in secretion.

Slender tubes that drain acini and converge into larger ducts.

Ducts lined by low columnar epithelium with goblet cells, active in transporting water and bicarbonate.

Ducts found between lobules, with the same epithelium as intralobular ducts, contributing to secretion volume.

Ions that neutralize acidic stomach contents entering the duodenum.

Enzymes secreted by the pancreas to break down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.

A series of ducts that transport pancreatic secretions to the intestine, including intercalated and interlobular ducts.

The primary method of regulating pancreatic secretion through hormones rather than nerves.