Procesos del Sistema Digestivo

Procesos del Sistema Digestivo

• Ingestión: Introduction of food and liquids into the digestive system through the mouth. Involves chewing (mastication) and mixing food with saliva to form a bolus.
• Digestión: The process by which food is broken down into simpler molecules that the body can absorb. Includes both:
  • Mechanical Digestion: Physical processes like chewing and peristaltic movements to break down and mix food.
  • Chemical Digestion: Uses enzymes and digestive juices (like saliva, gastric juice, bile) to chemically break down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into smaller molecules like glucose, amino acids, and fatty acids.
• Absorción: The process where the small molecules resulting from digestion pass through intestinal walls, entering the bloodstream or lymph, to be distributed to the body's cells. Primarily occurs in the small intestine. Water and some minerals are absorbed in the large intestine.
• Eliminación: Undigested or unabsorbed substances (e.g., fiber, excess water, bacteria) are compacted into feces. These are stored in the rectum and eliminated through the anus.

Diferencias entre Digestión Química y Mecánica

• Digestión Química: The chemical breakdown of food by enzymes and digestive juices.
  • Examples: Amylase breaks down carbohydrates into simple sugars, pepsin breaks down proteins, lipases break down fats.
• Digestión Mecánica: Physical processes that fragment and mix food to aid chemical digestion.
  • Examples: Chewing, peristalsis in the stomach.

Características y Funciones de los Órganos del Sistema Digestivo

• Boca: Contains teeth, tongue, and salivary glands. Chewing (mechanical) and mixing with saliva (beginning of chemical) to form bolus.
• Faringe: Shared passageway for digestive and respiratory systems. Epiglottis prevents food from entering the lungs.
• Esófago: Muscular tube transporting bolus to the stomach via peristalsis.
• Estómago: Muscular sac mixing food with gastric juice (acid and enzymes), starting protein digestion.
• Intestino Delgado: Long tube (duodenum, jejunum, ileum) with villi and microvilli for maximizing nutrient absorption. Receives digestive secretions from the pancreas and liver.
• Intestino Grueso: Absorbs water and electrolytes, compacts feces. Includes the caecum, colon, and rectum.
• Recto: Stores feces until elimination.
• Ano: Opening for elimination.
• Hígado: Produces bile to emulsify fats. Filters blood and detoxifies.
• Vesícula Biliar: Stores and concentrates bile, releasing it into the small intestine for fat digestion.
• Páncreas: Produces digestive enzymes (amylase, lipase, trypsin) for various macromolecules, and bicarbonate to neutralize stomach acid.