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Questions and Answers
What type of secretion contains ptyalin (a-amylase)?
How much can the salivary secretion increase during food intake?
What are the functions of mastication?
What type of regulation is present for salivary secretion?
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What must be broken before certain foods reach the stomach?
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Study Notes
Functions of the Gastrointestinal System
- The main function of the Gastrointestinal Tract (GIT) is to supply the body with water, nutrients, electrolytes, and vitamins.
- The GIT performs three main actions: digestion of food, absorption of digestive products, and regulation of various functions.
Physiology of the Mouth
Functions
- The mouth is responsible for mechanical and chemical digestion of food.
- Mechanical activity in the mouth involves mastication (chewing), which is performed by the anterior teeth (cutting action) and posterior teeth (grinding action).
Innervation of Muscles of Chewing
- The muscles of chewing are innervated by the 5th, 8th, and 12th cranial nerves.
Mechanism of Mastication (Chewing Reflex or Opening-Jaw Reflex)
- The presence of a bolus of food in the mouth compresses the teeth surface, causing reflex inhibition of the muscles of mastication.
- This inhibition causes the lower jaw to drop.
- The sudden drop in the lower jaw stimulates contraction of the jaw muscles, raising the lower jaw and closing the teeth.
- The teeth closure compresses the bolus again, allowing the jaw to drop, and the cycle repeats.
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Description
Test your knowledge of the physiology of the gastrointestinal system with this quiz. Explore the functions of the mouth, digestion, absorption, and regulation of various bodily functions. Learn from Prof. Omyma Galal Ahmed, a renowned expert in physiology from the Faculty of Medicine at Sphinx University's Faculty of Dentistry.
