Flowchart Science: The Human Body: The Digestive System

Product Information

Accessory organs are organs which participate in the digestion process but are not actually a part of GIT. They stimulate the digestion by releasing certain enzymes that help in breaking down the food.

Transitioning from the pharynx, there is a tapering structure known as the gullet. The gullet is a broad opening that serves as a conduit to the esophagus, ensuring the smooth passage of food particles from the pharynx to the subsequent stages of digestion. Cecum - a pouch that marks division between small and large intestines -> connects the ileum with ascending colon Now, glucose molecules, amino acids, and free fatty acids are available to be absorbed into the blood stream through the villi.Bile also contains bilirubin, a yellow-orange pigment released by red blood cells as they break down. Your body can’t metabolize bilirubin on its own, so it relies on bacteria to help out. When the bacteria in your small intestine chow down on bilirubin, they produce a dark material called sterobilin. This by product gives stool it’s notable brown color.

Bile Production: The liver secretes an alkaline, watery bile rich in bile salts, bile pigments, cholesterol, lecithin, and water. Bile salts, such as sodium bicarbonate, taurocholate, and glycocholate, play a pivotal role in digestion. Sodium bicarbonate modulates the pH of intestinal food, while the other salts activate pancreatic lipase and reduce fat friction for better emulsification. The mouth is the initial part of the alimentary canal. It includes teeth and salivary glands. The teeth help in the mechanical breakdown of food while the salivary glands release saliva that mixes with food to make it soft. Pharynx D Cells: These cells, distinguished by vesicular nuclei and basophilic granules, play a role in the endocrine functions of the pancreas. The liver is the largest gland in the body, characterized by its reddish-brown color. It is strategically positioned in the anterior part of the abdominal cavity, adjacent to the lungs and heart. Structurally, the liver is divided into two primary lobes: the left and the right. These lobes are interconnected through a narrow liver connection. Furthermore, the left lobe is bifurcated into two subsections. Nestled between these lobes is a thin-walled, greenish sac known as the gallbladder. This sac serves as a storage unit for the bile produced by the hepatic cells of the liver.

Diagram Of The Human Digestive System

Probiotics support the numbers of helpful microorganisms in your gut. They also aid in nutrient absorption in the small intestine and help break down your food. There is growing evidence to suggest that probiotic supplementation may play a role in supporting immune health, too. The large intestine, also known as the rectum in frogs, is a relatively short and wide tube, approximately 4cm in length. It extends straight from the small intestine and culminates at the cloaca, which is the common exit point for the intestinal and urinary tracts. The transition from the small intestine to the large intestine is marked by the ileo-rectal valve, which functions to regulate the passage of digested material. Take a closer look at the digestive system and consider the path your food takes. It is remarkable how your favorite meals are torn apart, liquefied, absorbed, and eventually eliminated by your body. And it’s all to harvest the essential nutrients you need to survive. Mastication is actually a reflex action that is stimulated once food is present in the mouth. At that point, there is inhibition of the muscles of mastication which results in a fall of the mandible. This causes distention of the muscles of mastication, resulting in reflex contraction of the muscle fibres; thus raising the mandible. That action causes apposition of the upper and lower rows of teeth, crushing the food that is between them. The cycle is repeated until the food particles can be rolled into a bolus.