Digestive System Overview Quiz

Digestive System Overview

• The digestive system is a group of organs working together to digest and absorb nutrients from food.
• It breaks down food and liquids into absorbable nutrients.
• It also handles food waste, turning it into stools.
• The system is made up of the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) and the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder.

Gastrointestinal Tract (GI Tract)

• The GI tract is a long, twisting tube starting from the mouth to the anus.
• Hollow organs in the GI tract include: mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and anus.
• The GI tract is lined with muscles that move food through the system. This process is called peristalsis.
• The mouth is where digestion begins, with teeth breaking down food and saliva mixing it.
• The esophagus carries food to the stomach.
• The stomach mixes food with digestive juices, turning it into chyme.
• The small intestine absorbs nutrients into the bloodstream
• The large intestine absorbs water and creates stool
• The rectum stores stool before elimination through the anus.

Biliary Tract

• The biliary tract includes organs that support digestion by delivering bile and enzymes for food breakdown.
• The liver, an organ and gland, is located on the right side of the body. It produces bile to aid in fat digestion.
• Bile ducts connect the liver to the gallbladder (storage organ for bile) and small intestine.
• The pancreas, located behind the stomach, produces digestive juices essential for carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Accessory Organs in the Digestive System

• Teeth: Different types (incisors, canines, pre-molars, and molars) have varied functions for biting, tearing, and grinding food.
• Tongue: Covered with taste buds, it aids in chewing, taste recognition and swallowing.

The Digestive Process

• Digestion can be physical (mechanical breakdown) or chemical (use of enzymes).
• The digestive process involves various organs and their specific secretions (juices) to break down food into smaller, absorbable components. This includes stomach acid, bile, and pancreatic juices with their respective enzymes.

Stages of Nutrition

• Ingestion: taking food into the body through the mouth.
• Digestion: breaking down food into smaller, absorbable components.
• Absorption: absorbing the nutrients into the bloodstream.
• Assimilation: using absorbed nutrients by the body's cells.
• Egestion: eliminating undigested waste from the body.

Common Digestive Conditions

• Acid Reflux (GERD): Stomach acid flowing into the esophagus.
• Celiac Disease: Autoimmune disorder reacting to gluten.
• Constipation: Hard, dry stools.
• Diarrhea: Loose, watery stools.
• Diverticulosis/diverticulitis: Little pouches form in the colon.
• Gastroenteritis (stomach flu): Viral infection.
• Hemorrhoids: Swollen veins in the rectum or anus.
• Stomach ulcers: Open sores in the stomach lining.
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): Chronic inflammation of the digestive tract (includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis).
• Nausea: Discomfort, sometimes urge to vomit.
• Gallstones: Stones formed in the gallbladder from precipitated bile components.

Enzymes

• Enzymes are biological catalysts, speeding up chemical reactions in living systems, including the breakdown of food.
• Amylase, an example found in saliva, helps break down starch.