Week 9 Digestive System Flashcards

Salivary Glands

• Parotid Salivary Glands: Largest salivary glands, located around the mandibular ramus. Secrete saliva via Stensen duct to aid in digestion.
• Submandibular Salivary Glands: Control saliva release under the tongue, significant for taste and digestion.
• Sublingual Salivary Glands: Produce mucin to promote saliva production, enhancing lubrication during swallowing.

Digestive Tract Overview

• Mouth: Entry point for food, beginning the digestion process.
• Pharynx: Passageway for food, liquids, and air to the esophagus.
• Esophagus: Transports food and liquids from mouth to stomach.
• Stomach: Serves as a container initiating digestion and regulating food discharge into the intestines.

Stomach Structure and Function

• Rugae: Folds that allow the stomach to expand when full; assist in mixing food.
• Gastroesophageal Sphincter: Controls entry and exit of substances into and out of the stomach.
• Pyloric Sphincter: Regulates exit of chyme into the duodenum from the stomach.

Small Intestine Components

• Small Intestine: Site of 90% food digestion and nutrient absorption, consisting of duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.
• Duodenum: First and shortest segment, vital for chemical digestion of chyme.
• Jejunum: Specialized for absorption of digested nutrients.
• Ileum: Absorbs vitamin B12, bile salts, and remaining nutrients.

Large Intestine Components

• Large Intestine: Absorbs water, stores waste as feces, consists of cecum, colon segments, sigmoid colon, and rectum.
• Cecum: Acts as a storage area; in humans, it has limited use compared to herbivores.
• Descending Colon: Stores feces, absorbs water and nutrients, prepares for elimination.

Accessory Organs

• Pancreas: Produces digestive enzymes and hormones like insulin and glucagon.
• Liver: Filters blood, processes nutrients, and detoxifies harmful substances.
• Gallbladder: Stores and concentrates bile; involved in digestion of fats.

Digestive Enzymes

• Amylase: Breaks down carbohydrates.
• Lipase: Breaks down lipids.
• Trypsin: Breaks down proteins.

Movement and Absorption

• Peristalsis: Wave-like muscle contractions moving substances through the GI tract.
• Segmentation: Mixing movement mainly in the small intestine, enhances nutrient absorption.

Tissue Types in Digestive Tract

• Simple Columnar Epithelium: Found in intestines and stomach; increases surface area for absorption.
• Stratified Squamous Epithelium: Found in the esophagus; serves as a protective barrier.

Specialized Structures

• Goblet Cells: Secrete mucus to lubricate the digestive tract and protect epithelial cells.
• Bile: Emulsifies fats, increasing surface area for enzyme action.

Additional Concepts

• Mesenteries: Support and anchor portions of the intestine.
• Enzymes and Catalysts: Enzymes are proteins that accelerate chemical reactions; catalysts increase reaction rates without becoming part of the product.
• Hydrolases: Enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of chemical bonds, important in digestion.

Environmental Effects on Enzymes

• Temperature and pH: Affect enzyme activity; low temperatures slow reactions and high temperatures may destabilize enzymes, altering their effectiveness.

Test your knowledge of the digestive system with these flashcards focusing on the salivary glands. Learn about the parotid and submandibular glands, their locations, and functions in the digestive process. Perfect for students studying anatomy and physiology.