Human Digestive System Overview

• A tissue is a group of cells with similar structure and function.
• An organ is a group of tissues working together for a specific function.
• The stomach is an example of an organ, containing muscle and glandular tissues.
• Organs are part of organ systems, which work together to form organisms.
• The digestive system is an organ system, responsible for breaking down food into nutrients.
• Human digestive system consists of mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and anus.
• Food is initially chewed in the mouth and saliva begins the process of digestion.
• Stomach secretes hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes to break down food.
• Small intestine absorbs digested nutrients into the bloodstream, with help from enzymes from liver and pancreas.
• Bile from the liver speeds up the digestion of lipids and neutralizes stomach acid.
• Feces is formed in the large intestine and eliminated from the body.
• Carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids are the main nutrients in food, which are larger than the molecules that can be absorbed into the bloodstream and need to be digested.
• Digestive enzymes break down large food molecules into smaller ones.
• Absorption of nutrients occurs in the small intestine through diffusion or active transport.
• Products of digestion, such as glucose, are used by the body for energy and building new macromolecules.

Test your knowledge of the human digestive system with this quiz covering the basic structure, function, and processes involved in digestion, absorption, and nutrient utilization.