Digestive System

by Natalie, Pokie, Jacob, and Arno

How does the digestive system work?

digestive system works by moving food

through the GI tract

it begins in the mouth by chewing

digestion ends in the small intestine with

peristalsis

as food passes through the tract, it

mixes with the digestive juices to break
down large molecules into smaller
pieces

Organ

Movement

Digestive Juice

Particles Broken
Down

Mouth

Chewing

Saliva

Starches

Esophagus

Swallowing

None

None

Stomach

Upper muscle
relaxes to let food
enter and lower
muscle mixes food
with juice

Stomach acid

Protein

Small intestine

Peristalsis

Small intestine
digestive juice

starches, proteins,
carbs

Pancreas

None

Pancreatic juice

starches, fats,
protein

Liver

None

Bile acids

Fats

Large intestine

absorb water from

the remaining
indigestible food

How does it function?

digestive juices have enzymes that

break down or digest certain foods
digested food molecules are passed to
other parts of the body for storage or
further chemical change
the system is controlled by hormone and
nerve regulators
hormones are released by cells in the
lining of the stomach and small intestine
to stimulate juice production
the large intestine takes undigested
parts of food and older cells from the GI
tract lining

What types of cells and tissues does it have?

The digestive system contains all four major types of tissue; Epithelial,
Connective, Muscle, and Nervous.
Epithelial:
-lines entire digestive tract
-wide variety of cells
-used frequently in other organ systems
-impermeable against bacteria

Nervous:
-transports electrical stimulus to the brain
-control conscious and unconscious swallowing
Connective:
-found between and around muscle tissue in the
digestive tract
-contains blood and lymph vessels and nerves.

Smooth Muscle:
-line walls of the digestive tract
-many animals dont have these, and must use gravity to swallow

How is it organized?
mouth -> pharynx/esophagus -> stomach -> duodenum -> small intestine ->
large intestine/colon -> rectum
Other organs not mentioned:
Pancreas: secretes digestive enzymes which break down protein, fats, and
carbohydrates. Also, it creates insulin which goes into the bloodstream.
Liver: takes raw materials from the intestine. The liver also detoxifies and
breaks down potentially harmful chemicals. It also secretes bile which goes
to the gallbladder.
Gallbladder: stores and concentrates bile from the liver.

How digestive system works with other organ

systems

The digestive system works very closely with

the circulatory system to get the absorbed
nutrients distributed through your body. The
circulatory system also carries chemical
signals from your endocrine system that
control the speed of digestion.
The Integumentary system takes in vitamin
D from the sunlight. The vitamin D helps
absorb calcium in food.

Working with other systems

The digestive system also works in parallel with your excretory
system (kidneys and urination).
While the digestive system collects and removes undigested
solids, the excretory system filters compounds from the
bloodstream and collects them in urine.

The cardiovascular system carries the absorbed nutrients to all

body cells.

How do diseases affect it?

Many diseases affect the digestive system. These diseases include

Celiac Disease: A hereditary disease that affects 1 in 100 Americans.When

people with celiac disease eat gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye and
barley), their body mounts an immune response that attacks the small
intestine. These attacks lead to damage on the villi, small fingerlike
projections that line the small intestine, that promote nutrient absorption.
When the villi get damaged, nutrients cannot be absorbed properly into the
body.
Pancreatic cancer: A disease in which malignant (cancerous) cells form in the
tissues of the pancreas. The pancreas is a gland located behind the stomach
and in front of the spine. The pancreas produces digestive juices and
hormones that regulate blood sugar.

Crohns Disease: A chronic inflammatory disease primarily of the bowel. Typical

symptoms are abdominal pain, weight loss, diarrhea. There may also be rectal
bleeding that can lead to anemia. Special X-rays and tests are needed to
differentiate Crohns from other digestive disease.
Peritonitis: Inflammation of the lining of the abdominal cavity. Before antibiotics,
people would die from peritonitis if an inflamed appendix burst. Indications of
peritonitis are called peritoneal signs: tender abdomen, rebound pain (pain
when manual pressure released from examining abdomen), board-like rigidity of
abdominal muscles, no bowel sounds (gurgles). The peritoneal membrane is very
sensitive to exposure to foreign substances. Contact with blood, bile, urine, pus
will cause peritoneal signs.

References
http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/Anatomy/your-digestive-system/Pages/anatomy.aspx#how
http://ect.downstate.edu/courseware/histomanual/digestive.html
http://digestive-system-mprr.wikispaces.com/8.+Types+of+Tissue
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases_conditions/hic_The_Structure_and_Function_of_the_Digestive_System
https://www.boundless.com/physiology/textbooks/boundless-anatomy-and-physiology-textbook/the-digestive-system-23/overviewof-the-digestive-system-216/anatomy-of-the-digestive-system-1065-7492/
https://8salembodysystems.wikispaces.com/Digestive+System
http://www.webmd.com/cancer/pancreatic-cancer/digestive-diseases-pancreatic-cancer
https://celiac.org/celiac-disease/what-is-celiac-disease/
http://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/your-digestive-system