Digestive System Organs

Digestive System

Organs:

1. Mouth:
   • Contains teeth for mechanical digestion
   • Salivary glands produce saliva with enzymes to break down carbohydrates
2. Esophagus:
   • Muscular tube that transports food to the stomach
   • Uses peristalsis to move food
3. Stomach:
   • Sac-like organ that mixes food with stomach acid and digestive enzymes
   • Secretes mucus to protect lining from acid
4. Small Intestine:
   • Long, thin tube where most nutrient absorption occurs
   • Walls lined with finger-like projections (villi) to increase surface area
5. Liver:
   • Produces bile to aid in fat digestion
   • Filters blood and removes toxins
6. Gallbladder:
   • Stores bile from the liver
   • Releases bile into the small intestine through ducts
7. Pancreas:
   • Produces digestive enzymes to break down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats
   • Regulates blood sugar levels by producing insulin and glucagon
8. Large Intestine (Colon):
   • Absorbs water and electrolytes
   • Stores and eliminates waste

Functions:

• Mechanical Digestion: Breaking down food into smaller pieces (e.g., chewing, churning)
• Chemical Digestion: Breaking down nutrients into absorbable forms (e.g., enzymes, acids)
• Absorption: Taking in nutrients through the walls of the digestive tract
• Elimination: Removing waste products from the body

Digestive System Organs

• Mouth contains teeth for mechanical digestion and salivary glands that produce saliva with enzymes to break down carbohydrates.
• Esophagus is a muscular tube that transports food to the stomach using peristalsis.
• Stomach is a sac-like organ that mixes food with stomach acid and digestive enzymes, and secretes mucus to protect its lining from acid.
• Small intestine is a long, thin tube where most nutrient absorption occurs, with walls lined with finger-like projections (villi) to increase surface area.

Digestive System Organs ((cont.)

• Liver produces bile to aid in fat digestion and filters blood, removing toxins.
• Gallbladder stores bile from the liver and releases it into the small intestine through ducts.
• Pancreas produces digestive enzymes to break down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, and regulates blood sugar levels by producing insulin and glucagon.
• Large intestine (colon) absorbs water and electrolytes, stores, and eliminates waste.

Digestive System Functions

• Mechanical digestion involves breaking down food into smaller pieces through processes like chewing and churning.
• Chemical digestion breaks down nutrients into absorbable forms using enzymes and acids.
• Absorption involves taking in nutrients through the walls of the digestive tract.
• Elimination removes waste products from the body.