IX.

The Digestive System

Introduction
Your digestive system is a group of organs working together to convert food into energy
and basic nutrients to feed your entire body. It is made up of a series of hollow organs through
which food passes. Your accessory organs such as the salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, and
pancreas, have ducts that lead into the digestive tract. Your digestive tract together with the
accessory organs worked harmoniously in maintaining your body’s homeostasis.

Objectives

At the end of this lesson, you can:

1. Identify the organs of the digestive tract and the accessory organs.
2. Explain the essential processes in the digestive system.
3. Explain the actions of the enzymes and gastric secretions in digestion.

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Try this!

Using the illustration below as reference, identify the parts of the digestive system by
writing the corresponding letters in the second column of the table (next page). Then, briefly
describe each structure’s functions by writing them in the third column.

Figure 88. The digestive organs

Parts Corresponding Letters Functions
Oral cavity B Its primary function is to serve as the entrance of the
alimentary tract and to initiate the digestive process
by salivation and propulsion of the alimentary bolus
into the pharynx.
Esophagus D The esophagus functions primarily as a transport tube
that directs the progression of food and fluids from
the mouth to the stomach.
Oropharynx A The oropharynx serves both the respiratory and
digestive systems. The oropharynx is the critical
region that joins the oral cavity and nasopharynx with
the larynx and hypopharynx.
Stomach I The stomach is a hollow organ, or "container,"
that holds food while it is being mixed with
stomach enzymes. These enzymes continue the
process of breaking down food into a usable
form.
Salivary gland C Your salivary glands make as much as a quart of
saliva each day. Saliva is important to lubricate
your mouth, help with swallowing, protect your
teeth against bacteria, and aid in the digestion of
food.
Liver E The liver regulates most chemical levels in the
blood and excretes a product called bile.
Pancreas J Makes pancreatic juices called enzymes. These
enzymes break down sugars, fats, and starches.
Gall bladder F The gallbladder stores bile produced by the liver.
Small intestine K The small intestine carries out most of the
digestive process, absorbing almost all of the
nutrients you get from foods into your
bloodstream.
Large intestine G The purpose of the large intestine is to absorb
water and salts from the material that has not
been digested as food, and get rid of any waste
products left over.
Appendix H The appendix sits at the junction of the small
intestine and large intestine. It's a thin tube about four

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inches long.
Rectum L The rectum is a straight, 8-inch chamber that
connects the colon to the anus. The rectum's job
is to receive stool from the colon.
Anus M The anus is the opening at the far end of the
digestive tract through which stool leaves the
body. The anus is formed partly from the surface
layers of the body, including the skin, and partly
from the intestine.

Compare your answers to the information in Read and Ponder section. Are they similar?
If yes, good job!

Think Ahead!

The above exercises will not only help you remember the location of the digestive
structures and their functions, but also give you an idea about the pathway of food and the
processes involved. The essential processes (Fig. 89) of your digestive system include: (1)
ingestion, (2) propulsion, (3) mechanical breakdown, (4) chemical digestion, (5) absorption, and
(6) defecation.

Figure 89. The essential processes of digestive system

Your digestive system is uniquely designed to turn the food you eat into energy and
nutrients which your body uses for energy, growth, and cell repair. To understand further how it

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works, you may read any textbook on human anatomy and physiology or view a video about the
processes at https://youtu.be/WWpRX7g_qvo.

Read and Ponder!

Parts of the Digestive Tract

Food begins its journey through the digestive system in your mouth, also known as the
oral cavity. Inside your mouth are many accessory organs that aid in the digestion of food—the
tongue, teeth, and salivary glands. Your teeth chop food into small pieces, which are moistened
by saliva before your tongue and other muscles push the food into your pharynx.

Your pharynx, or throat, is a funnel-shaped tube connected to the posterior end of your
mouth. It is responsible for the passing of masses of chewed food from the mouth to the
esophagus. Your esophagus is a muscular tube connecting your pharynx to your stomach. Your
stomach is a muscular sac that is located on the left side of the abdominal cavity. It acts as a
storage tank for food so that the body has time to digest large meals properly. It also contains
hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes that continue the digestion.

Your small intestine is the body’s major digestive organ. It is a long, thin tube with an
average length of 2 to 4 meters (7 to 13 feet). It is coiled like a hose and the inside surface is full
of many ridges and folds. Nearly all nutrient absorption occurs in the small intestine. The small
intestine has three subdivisions: the duodenum, the jejunum, and the ileum.

Your large intestine is much larger in diameter than the small intestine and about 1.5
meters (5 feet) long. It is located just inferior to the stomach and wraps around the superior and
lateral border of the small intestine. It absorbs water and contains many symbiotic bacteria that
aid in the breaking down of wastes to extract some small amounts of nutrients. Your feces in the
large intestine exit the body through the anal canal.

The Accessory Digestive Organs

An accessory digestive organ helps with digestion but is not part of your digestive tract.
These are the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, salivary glands, teeth, and tongue.

Your liver is the second largest organ in your body. Its main function in digestion is the
production of bile. Bile salts facilitate fat digestion. Your gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped
organ located just posterior to your liver. It is used to store and recycle excess bile from your
small intestine. Your pancreas is a large gland located just inferior and posterior to your
stomach. It secretes digestive enzymes into your small intestine to complete the chemical
digestion of food.

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You have three pairs of salivary glands: the parotid gland (lie anterior to the ears), the
submandibular gland, and the sublingual gland. Saliva is the product of the salivary glands which
contains an enzyme (salivary amylase) to process starch digestion in the mouth. During the
process of mastication or chewing the food, the teeth tear and grind the food into smaller
fragments, while the tongue helps the food be kept in between your teeth. Your teeth are
classified according to incisors, canines, premolars, and molars (Fig. 90).

Figure 90. The adult teeth

The Digestive Enzymes and Gastric Secretions

Digestive enzymes are substances secreted by the salivary glands and cells lining the
stomach, pancreas, and small intestine to aid in the digestion of food.

Digestive juices and enzymes Substance digested Product formed

Saliva
Amylase Starch Maltose
Gastric juice
Protease (pepsin) and hydrochloric acid Proteins Partly digested proteins
Pancreatic juice
Proteases (trypsin) Proteins Peptides and amino acids
Lipases Fats emulsified by bile Fatty acids and glycerol

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Amylase Starch Maltose

Intestinal enzymes
Peptidases Peptides Amino acids
Sucrase Sucrose (sugar) Glucose and fructose
Lactase Lactose (milk sugar) Glucose and galactose
Maltase Maltose Glucose
Bile from the liver
Bile salts Fats globules Fat droplets

For more information about the digestive system, you may read any textbook on human
anatomy and physiology or go to https://www.visiblebody.com/learn/digestive.

See if you can do this!

Short quiz.

I. Match the digestive organ listed in column B with the function listed in column A.

Column A Column B

__F__1. stores bile a. salivary glands

__A__2. secretes a substance that initiates carbohydrate b. esophagus
digestion c. stomach
__H__3. absorbs water d. small intestine
__C__4. churning occurs here e. liver
__B__5. muscular tube connecting the laryngopharynxf. gallbladder
with the stomach g. pancreas
__E__6. produces bile h. large intestine
__G__7. produces both endocrine and exocrine
secretion
__D__8. segmentation occurs here

II. Answer the following questions.

1. What are the main organs of the digestive system? The mouth, esophagus, stomach, small
intestine, large intestine, and anus. The liver, pancreas, and gallbladder are the solid organs of
the digestive system.
2. What are the accessory organs of the digestive system? The salivary glands, liver, gallbladder,
and pancreas are not part of the digestive tract, but they have a role in digestive activities and
are considered accessory organs.

3. Enumerate the primary processes of the digestive system. The processes of digestion include
six activities: ingestion, propulsion, mechanical or physical digestion, chemical digestion,
absorption, and defecation. The first of these processes, ingestion, refers to the entry of food
into the alimentary canal through the mouth.
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4. What does the liver do to help digestion?

A. Makes important enzymes C. Produces bile
B. Neutralizes stomach acid D. Regulates insulin

5. What are enzymes?

A. Enzymes are tiny food particles that cannot be digested. C. Enzymes are breads and candy
B. Enzymes are fruits and vegetables. D. Enzymes are chemicals that help break down
food.

6. What does saliva play in digestion?

A. Enzymes in saliva help to break down food.
B. It coats your stomach with protective lining.
C. It moves food through the intestine.
D. Saliva does not help with digestion.

Congratulations for a job well done!!

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