The

Human
Digestive
System
• Humans are chemical factories, we need raw
materials to produce new cells, repair damaged
parts, and produce energy.

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

Main Functions of Digestive System
• Ingestion
– Taking in food/s into the body
• Digestion: The process of breaking
down food into nutrients.

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

• Absorption
–The process of absorbing nutrients
from food that was eaten.
• Excretion
–The process of eliminating or
expelling waste matter out of the
body.
How well do
you already
know?
P
A
R
T
S
FOCUS QUESTIONS
1.How does the digestion
process happen?
2.How are the different
organs of digestion
important to our bodily
function?
 Digestive System Organization
• Gastrointestinal (Gl) tract
– Direct link/path between organs
–Structures
• Mouth
• Pharynx
• Esophagus
• Stomach
• Small intestine
• Large Intestine
• Rectum
• Anus
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Enzymes
• Are chemicals that speed up the
chemical reactions in our body by
lowering the activation energy
required to initiate reaction.
 Mouth
• Teeth mechanically • Incisors & canines –
break down food into used to bite and tear
small pieces. Tongue down food.
mixes food with saliva
• Molars – help in
(contains amylase,
grinding food
which helps break down
starch).
• Saliva helps to moisten your food and contains a
chemical to begin the process of digestion.

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

• Saliva helps to moisten your food and contains a
chemical to begin the process of digestion.

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

• Saliva helps to moisten your food and contains a
chemical to begin the process of digestion.

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

• Ptyalin (ti´ah-lin): Chemical (Enzyme) in saliva
that breaks starches into sugars.

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

• Besides the chemical enzymes, what else did
you use to break down the piece of bread?

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

• Taste buds: The sensory organs that are found
on your tongue.

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

• Mechanical Digestion: Physically breaking
down the food.

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

• Mechanical Digestion: Physically breaking
down the food.

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

• Mechanical Digestion: Physically breaking
down the food.

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Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

• Mechanical Digestion: Physically breaking
down the food.

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ollows

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

• Mechanical Digestion: Physically breaking
down the food.

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unction Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy
• Mechanical Digestion: Physically breaking
down the food.

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unction Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy
• Mechanical Digestion: Physically breaking
down the food.

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unction Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy
 The primary
purpose of the
digestive system is
to breakdown
food to facilitate
effective transport
of nutrients to
different parts of
the body.
• Epiglottis: A flap of cartilage at the root of the
tongue, which is depressed during swallowing to
cover the opening of the windpipe
• Epiglottis: A flap of cartilage at the root of the
tongue, which is depressed during swallowing to
cover the opening of the windpipe
• Epiglottis: A flap of cartilage at the root of the
tongue, which is depressed during swallowing to
cover the opening of the windpipe
• When you swallow (reflex), your muscles
(tongue) move food into your throat and
cause your epiglottis to close.

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

• When you swallow (reflex), your muscles
(tongue) move food into your throat and
cause your epiglottis to close.

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

• When you swallow (reflex), your muscles
(tongue) move food into your throat and
cause your epiglottis to close.

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

 Esophagus
• Approximately 20 cm long.
• Functions include:
1.Secrete mucus
2.Moves food from the throat
to the stomach using muscle
movement called peristalsis
• If acid from the stomach gets
in here that’s heartburn.
• The esophagus is covered with a slimy mucous
that aids movement.
– (12 seconds to travel to stomach)

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

• The esophagus is covered with a slimy mucous
that aids movement.
– (12 seconds to travel to stomach)

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

 Stomach
• J-shaped muscular bag that stores
the food you eat, breaks it down
into tiny pieces.
• Mixes food with Digestive Juices
that contain enzymes to break
down Proteins and Lipids.
• Acid (HCl) in the stomach Kills
Bacteria.
• Food found in the stomach is
called Chyme. 36
• Cells in the stomach wall release a chemical
gastric juice (Pepsin – enzyme) and thick
slippery mucous to protect stomach.

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

• The stomach churns the food (mechanical)
while the gastric juices break down the food
chemically. (Smooth Muscle)

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

 SMALL INTESTINE
• Divided into three
sections: duodenum,
jejunum, ileum.
• 20-30 feet in length
• Produces enzymes and
absorbs nutrients
• Note how the GI Tract coils around so that its
incredible length can fit into an area so small.

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• Duodenum: The beginning of the small
intestine.

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

• Small Intestine: Major organ for food
absorption.

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

• Small Intestine: Major organ for food
absorption.

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

• The small intestine is covered with millions of
small fingerlike structures called villi.

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

• The shape of the villi creates more surface
area for the absorption of nutrients.

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• The mop has ends similar to villi so that it will
pick up the most dirt.
– (More surface area)

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

 Large Intestine
• About 1.5 meters long
• Accepts what small
intestines don’t absorb
• Divided into:
– caecum
– Ascending colon
– Transverse colon
– Descending colon
– Sigmoid colon
 Large Intestine
• Functions
– Contains huge
number of bacteria
– Bacterial digestion
• Ferment
carbohydrates
– Absorbs more
water
– Concentrate
wastes
 Rectum
• Rectum (short term storage which holds feces
before it is expelled).
• Rectum: Short tube at the end of the large
intestine that stores waste.

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

• Rectum: Short tube at the end of the large
intestine that stores waste.
– Anus: Opening at the end of the rectum.

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

• Rectum: Short tube at the end of the large
intestine that stores waste.
– Anus: Opening at the end of the rectum.
What it actually
looks like…

Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy

 Bowel movement

• The strong muscular walls of the

rectum expand to hold the feces.
• When the rectum is full, the area
tell the brain that we have to
push it out of our body.
 Accessory Organs The Glands
• Not part of the path
of food, but play a
critical role.
• Include: Liver, gall
bladder, and
pancreas
 Liver
• Directly affects digestion
by producing bile
–Bile helps digest fat
• filters out toxins and
waste including drugs
and alcohol and
poisons.
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 Gall Bladder
• Stores bile from
the liver,
releases it into
the small
intestine.
• Fatty diets can
cause gallstones
 Pancreas
• Produces digestive
enzymes to digest
fats,
carbohydrates and
proteins
• Regulates blood
sugar by
producing insulin
• The digestive system is the organ system
responsible for the digestion of the food
we eat.
• Each digestive organ plays an important
role in digestion as well as nutrient
absorption for the body.
• It works hand in hand with
respiratory, circulatory and excretory
system to maintain homeostasis
inside the body.