Digestive System Quiz

A group of organs that work together to break down food into smaller, absorbable molecules for the body.

The process of breaking down food into smaller molecules.

The movement of food through the digestive tract.

Substances released into the digestive tract to help with digestion.

The primary role of digestive secretions is to aid in the process of digestion.

The process of taking nutrients from digested food into the bloodstream.

The process of storing and excreting undigested food waste.

Propulsive movements move food forward in the digestive tract while mixing movements blend food with digestive juices.

These hormones regulate the rate at which food moves through the digestive tract and the amount of digestive juices it produces.

These receptors detect changes in the chemical makeup, physical pressure, and concentration of dissolved substances within the digestive system.

The process of taking food into the mouth.

Breaking down food into smaller pieces using your teeth, tongue, and cheeks.

The process of swallowing.

Contractions of the muscles in the digestive tract that move food along.

The storing of food in the stomach until it is ready to be digested.

The breakdown of food into smaller molecules that the body can absorb.

A protein-digesting enzyme produced by the chief cells in the stomach.

Pepsin is stored and secreted in an inactive form (pepsinogen) since it could digest the gastric lining.

A protein-digesting enzyme, pepsin, needs an acidic environment to work effectively.

The HCO3- antiporter transports HCO3- into the parietal cell and Cl- from the plasma into the parietal cell.

Cl- enters the cell lumen through a Cl- channel, completing the process of Cl- secretion.

A hormone in the blood that stimulates parietal and chief cells to secrete gastric juice.

Gastrin directly promotes parietal and chief cell secretions and indirectly promotes HCl secretion through ECL cells.

A paracrine hormone released from ECL cells that stimulates parietal cells to secrete HCl.

A paracrine hormone released from D cells that inhibits HCl secretion by parietal cells, G cells, and ECL cells.

A neurotransmitter released from the intrinsic nerve plexus that stimulates parietal and chief cells, G cells, and ECL cells.

Secretions like water, HCl, bicarbonate, bile, lipase, pepsin, amylase, trypsin, and histamine are released directly into the lumen of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. These substances are involved in digestion and breakdown of food.

Hormones like gastrin, secretin, cholecystokinin (CCK), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and somatostatin are released into the bloodstream. These hormones play a vital role in regulating digestive processes.

Carbohydrates are broken down into disaccharides and eventually into monosaccharides, the form that can be absorbed by the body.

Proteins are broken down into amino acids, the building blocks of proteins that can be absorbed by the body.

Fats are broken down into glycerol and fatty acids, the components of fats that can be absorbed by the body.

The process of transporting small digested units, along with water, vitamins, and electrolytes, from the GI tract into the blood or lymph. This occurs primarily in the small intestine.

The digestive system is comprised of the alimentary canal and accessory organs and glands. The alimentary canal is the long continuous tube from the mouth to the anus, while the accessory organs and glands aid in digestion.

The alimentary canal is the long, continuous tube from the mouth to the anus and is responsible for food transport and initial digestion.

Accessory organs and glands, like salivary glands, liver, and pancreas, play a crucial role in aiding digestion through secretions.

The mouth, esophagus, and stomach make up the upper part of the alimentary canal, responsible for initial food intake and digestion.

The small intestine (including the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum) serves as the main site for digestion and absorption.

The large intestine (caecum, colon, and rectum) is responsible for absorbing water and electrolytes, storing waste for elimination, and forming feces: waste products.

The wall of the alimentary canal consists of four distinct layers: mucosa, submucosa, muscularis externa, and serosa. Each layer plays a crucial role in digestion and absorption.

The innermost layer of the alimentary canal, serving as a protective barrier, secreting digestive juices and hormones, and absorbing nutrients.

A complex carbohydrate that's broken down into glucose by maltase, an enzyme found in the small intestine.

Glucose and galactose are absorbed into the bloodstream by a process called Na+-dependent secondary active transport. This means it requires energy and the presence of sodium ions.

Amino acids and small peptides are broken down further into amino acids by enzymes known as aminopeptidases.

Fructose, a type of sugar, is absorbed via facilitated diffusion, which doesn't require energy.

The large intestine primarily absorbs water, electrolytes, and some B vitamins. It's like a drying and storage center for waste.

A hormone secreted by the small intestine that stimulates the release of bile from the gallbladder.

Specialized cells in the pancreas responsible for producing and secreting digestive enzymes.

Digestive enzymes produced by pancreatic acinar cells that break down fats into smaller molecules.

The largest gland in the body, located in the upper right abdomen.

Liver cells responsible for producing bile.

A yellow-green, alkaline solution produced by the liver that helps digest fats.

The process of breaking down large fat globules into smaller droplets.

A small, pear-shaped organ that stores and releases bile.

A blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood to the liver.

A blood vessel that brings nutrient-rich blood from the digestive tract to the liver.

Small blood channels in the liver where blood mixes with hepatocytes.

A blood vessel that carries deoxygenated blood from the liver to the inferior vena cava.

The recycling of bile salts between the liver and the small intestine.

The process by which the body regulates the amount of bile released.

A protein that helps lipase attach to fat droplets for efficient digestion.

Tiny spherical structures that transport digested fats through the intestinal contents.

The process by which digested nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream.

The first part of the small intestine, responsible for most nutrient absorption.

The middle section of the small intestine, also involved in nutrient absorption.

The last part of the small intestine, responsible for absorbing bile salts.