Digestive System Quiz

The Gallbladder

• Stores bile produced by the liver
• Bile travels through the bile duct to the duodenum
• Gallstones can form in the gallbladder and block bile ducts, often requiring gallbladder removal

The Small Intestine

• Absorbs nutrients from food
• Composed of three sections: duodenum, jejunum, and ileum
• Supported by the mesentery, which contains blood vessels

The Large Intestine

• Starts with the cecum, which has an attached appendix
• Connected to the small intestine by the ileocecal valve
• The colon has four sections: ascending, transverse, descending, and sigmoid
• The rectum stores waste before it is expelled
• The anus is a muscular sphincter that controls the exit of waste

The Appendix

• Stores good bacteria, helping to "reboot" the digestive system after diarrheal illnesses
• Appendicitis occurs when the appendix becomes infected or inflamed

Function of the Large Intestine

• Secretes mucus
• Reabsorbs water
• Contains bacteria to aid in digestion (intestinal flora)
• Mass movements (defecation) remove un-digested food

Disorders of the Digestive System

• Gastroenterologist: a physician specializing in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and liver
• Colonoscopy: a test used to detect cancer in the colon

Essential Questions

• Animals obtain nutrients through the digestive system, breaking down food into absorbable molecules
• Malnutrition can result from a lack of essential nutrients
• Waste is eliminated from the body through the digestive system

Fistulated Cow

• A cow with a passageway connecting the rumen to the outside
• Allows researchers to study the rumen's function, microflora, and digestion rates

Scurvy

• Caused by a lack of vitamin C
• Prevents collagen production, leading to tissue breakdown
• Symptoms include bleeding gums, swelling, slow-healing wounds, and bruising
• Historically associated with sailors who lacked access to fresh fruits and vegetables

The Digestive System

• Mechanically and chemically breaks down food and absorbs nutrients
• Composed of the alimentary canal and accessory organs

Characteristics of the Alimentary Canal

• Mucosa: protects tissues and facilitates absorption
• Submucosa: contains glands, blood vessels, and nerves
• Muscular layer: smooth muscle, responsible for food propulsion
• Serosa: lubricates surfaces

Villi

• Increase surface area in the small intestine for nutrient absorption
• Celiac disease damages villi, leading to nutrient malabsorption

Dysentery or Diarrhea

• Characterized by watery stool due to insufficient water reabsorption in the large intestine
• Dehydration can be fatal
• Causes include parasitic infections, bacterial infections, viruses, food allergies, and intolerances

Gastroenteritis

• A generic term for vomiting and diarrhea

Cholera

• Caused by a cholera bacteria that leads to severe diarrhea and water loss
• Can be fatal due to dehydration
• Transmitted through unclean water sources and contaminated food

The Microbiome

• The human digestive tract contains thousands of microorganisms
• Disturbances to the balance of the gut's microbiome can lead to illness
• Clostridium difficile (C. diff) is a bacterium that can cause severe illness

Hepatitis A, B, and C

• Hepatitis A is caused by consuming infected food or water
• Hepatitis B and C are transmitted through bodily fluids (STI)
• Hepatitis B and C can lead to chronic disease and liver failure

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

• Symptoms include:
  • Crampy abdominal pain
  • Loss of appetite
  • Bloody stool
  • Watery diarrhea
  • Weight loss
  • Constipation

Stomach Ulcers

• Burning upper abdominal pain, particularly between meals, early in the morning, or after drinking orange juice, coffee, or alcohol
• Treated with antibiotics to kill H. pylori bacteria

Constipation

• Difficulty emptying the bowels, usually associated with hardened feces

Test your knowledge of the human digestive system, including the gallbladder, small intestine, large intestine, and appendix. This quiz covers key functions, structures, and common conditions related to these organs.