Human Digestive System Overview

The mouth, esophagus, stomach, and small and large intestines

To convert large food molecules into smaller substances that can be absorbed

Bioavailability refers to the extent to which the digestive tract absorbs a nutrient and how well the body uses it

<p>The teeth, tongue, salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas; they assist the GI tract in food digestion, nutrient absorption and distribution, and waste elimination</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>They are not digested but are absorbed intact</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Cooking food can enhance the absorption of its nutrients</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Approximately 16 feet in a living person, and longer in a cadaver due to the lack of muscle tone</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To make them more digestible and safe to eat</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Mechanical digestion of food by biting, tearing, and grinding it into smaller chunks.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To lubricate and mix with food, and to facilitate chemical digestion through the action of enzymes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To detect chemicals in food and relay information about taste to the brain.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It helps stimulate appetite and detect nutrients or toxic substances in food.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It often indicates the presence of poisonous or spoiled substances.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Anosmia</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Dysgeusia</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To form a bolus and direct it to the back of the mouth for swallowing.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It is often associated with protein-rich foods.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To facilitate a minor amount of starch digestion in the mouth.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The chemicals released from food while chewing become airborne and stimulate nasal passages, which combine with taste sensations from the mouth to identify food flavors. When nasal passages are congested, food may seem tasteless.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To transfer a bolus of swallowed food into the stomach.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The epiglottis, a flap of tough tissue that folds down to cover the opening of the larynx.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Peristalsis, waves of muscular activity that help move small amounts of food and beverage from the esophagus into the stomach.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Dysphagia is a condition characterized by difficulty swallowing or being unable to swallow, which can lead to weight loss, dehydration, and serious lung infections.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Older adults, but also infants and older children with cerebral palsy or facial deformities, such as cleft lip and cleft palate.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Children have more taste buds than adults, making them more sensitive to strong flavors.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Most people recover their usual senses of smell and taste within 2 weeks of first noticing abnormalities.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The sense of smell contributes to the ability to sense the taste of food by combining with taste sensations from the mouth to identify food flavors.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Peristalsis helps move small amounts of food and beverage from the esophagus into the stomach, facilitating digestion.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>to lubricate the intestinal walls, facilitating the passage of chyme</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>to mix chyme within a short portion of the small intestine</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>to increase the surface area for nutrient absorption and release enzymes for digestion</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>to secrete enzymes into the lumen to break down complex macronutrients</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>through diffusion or with the help of transport proteins or pumping mechanisms</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>the villus's capillary, then the hepatic portal vein, and eventually the liver</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>hydrolysis</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>to protect the tissue from being damaged by chyme as it moves through the tract</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>circular folds (rings) and villi with microvilli</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>the ileum</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It constricts, closing the opening between the esophagus and the stomach after food enters the stomach.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Gastric juice is a watery solution containing hydrochloric acid (HCl) and some enzymes, and it helps convert pepsinogen to pepsin and makes proteins easier to digest.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Chyme is a semisolid liquid formed by the mixing of food with gastric juice in the stomach through mechanical and chemical activity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Special cells that line the inside of the stomach produce two layers of mucus, which protect the stomach from its acid and digestive enzymes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The pyloric sphincter controls the rate at which chyme is released into the small intestine, and gastric emptying takes about 4 hours depending on the meal's contents and size.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The duodenum, jejunum, and ileum are the three sections of the small intestine, each with distinct functions in neutralizing acidity and enabling enzyme activity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The presence of food stimulates the stomach's muscular walls to respond with waves of muscular contractions, which triggers gastric secretion.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The small intestine has a diameter of about 1 inch, which is half the width of the large intestine.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The duodenum mixes acidic stomach contents with alkaline fluids from the pancreas, gallbladder, and duodenum, neutralizing the acidity of chyme.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Fatty and protein-rich meals delay gastric emptying because they spend more time in the stomach than carbohydrate-rich meals.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Chylomicron</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>3 to 5 hours</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To produce antibodies against harmful agents such as bacteria and viruses</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To neutralize HCl in chyme</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The fat and protein content of chyme in the duodenum</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Malabsorption</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To reduce the likelihood of agents of infection being absorbed</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Inflammation, pain, tissue redness and swelling, loss of function, and fever</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To produce and secrete digestive enzymes</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>7.6 to 8.5 quarts (8 to 9 liters)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Cholecystokinin stimulates the pancreas to secrete digestive enzymes into the duodenum and helps delay stomach emptying.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Gallstones usually consist of cholesterol and can be small and grainy, like particles of sand, or as large as a coin.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Patients with cystic fibrosis can take capsules that contain pancreatic enzymes with their meals to overcome the malabsorption problem.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A bezoar is a dense mass of undigested material that becomes trapped in the digestive tract, and it is most likely to develop in the stomach.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It causes considerable pain in the right upper part of the abdomen, and if the duct remains blocked, bile backs up into the liver or pancreas.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Having excess body fat increases the risk of gallstones.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Bile prepares fat and fat-soluble vitamins for digestion and absorption.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Bile drips from the liver directly into the small intestine.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The pancreatic ducts of an affected person may become blocked by thick mucus, which interferes with the organ’s ability to deliver digestive enzymes to the small intestine.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Trichobezoar is a type of bezoar that contains hair, and it is related to pica (the consumption of nonfood items, including stones and clay) or trichotillomania (compulsive hair plucking) and then swallowing the hair.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A bezoar is a small, harmless stone that forms when the digestive tract coats undigested material with minerals. It can become large enough to damage the stomach walls or block the intestines.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Limiting the growth of harmful species of intestinal bacteria and yeast.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A gastric bezoar is typically removed using an endoscope with special instruments, or by ingesting enzymes and carbonated beverages that soften or dissolve the bezoar.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Reducing the level of protein fermentation in the gut.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Producing an antibody called immunoglobulin A (IgA) that helps prevent bacteria and viruses from sticking to the lining of the intestinal tract.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The mucus produced by cells in the large intestine helps protect and lubricate the walls of the colon and rectum.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Feces consist of bacteria, undigested fiber, water, protein, fat, mucus, and cells shed from the intestinal tract. It takes around 30-40 hours for undigested material to move through the large intestine and become semisolid feces.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Intestinal inflammation and diseases.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Intestinal dysbiosis.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Gut microbiota maintain a balance with each other that benefits their human host. They break down undigested food, make vitamin K, thiamin, and biotin, and produce substances that colon cells can use for energy.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The external anal sphincter allows feces to be expelled from the body through the anus during defecation, and is under voluntary control.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To treat certain intestinal disorders, such as Clostridioides difficile (C-diff) infection.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The majority of microorganisms are found in the large intestine.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>C-diff is often able to survive and multiply after antibiotic use kills most of the bacteria in the colon.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Chronic diarrhea that resists many conventional forms of treatment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The timing of the development of voluntary control of the external anal sphincter in children is significant for their ability to have bowel movements and maintain continence.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It helps maintain good health of the large intestine and, therefore, the entire person.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>In certain diseases, the balance of gut microbiota is disrupted. Scientists are studying the roles that gut microbiota play in the prevention and treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The large intestine is around 40 inches long, and its major sections are the colon and the rectum.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A person’s risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, liver diseases, and, possibly, obesity has been linked to the diversity of his or her intestinal bacteria.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The growth of fungi, such as yeast, is no longer limited, leading to intestinal dysbiosis and potentially causing symptoms of alcohol intoxication without alcohol consumption.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To help restore the balance of beneficial microbes in the gut microbiota.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To support and promote the growth of probiotics in the colon.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To reestablish a healthy balance of the gut microbiota, which may help alleviate symptoms of these conditions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To reduce the likelihood of spreading harmful microbes from the intestinal tract to others.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The gut microbiota helps to limit the growth of fungi and other harmful microorganisms, maintaining a healthy balance.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To kill the yeast that are overpopulating the colon and causing symptoms of alcohol intoxication.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>They can help maintain a healthy balance of the gut microbiota, which is essential for proper digestion and overall health.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>They are the most commonly used beneficial bacteria in probiotics, helping to maintain a healthy balance of the gut microbiota.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To determine the long-term safety and effectiveness of using probiotics and prebiotics to promote overall health.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>3 million</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>negatively alter the kinds of bacteria</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Ulcerative colitis</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>follow a low-fiber diet</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>entire gastrointestinal tract</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>colon cancer</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>taking medications to reduce the inflammation and promote healing as well as avoiding foods and beverages that cause 'flares' (bouts of signs and symptoms)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>genetic factors, cigarette smoking, and poor diet</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>dysbiosis</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Alicia discovered blood in her stools.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A hair stylist/makeup artist</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Crohn's disease (CD)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Prednisone</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Frequent enemas may deplete the body of vital minerals, including sodium and potassium.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>How her food choices affect her body</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>More than one medication</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Flares</p> Signup and view all the answers