LESSON 1: THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM mechanically and chemically.

Let us take a journey throughout the

human digestive system to see how it works and how the organs
Why do we eat? Is eating necessary in keeping us alive? Where do coordinate in order to carry out the processes of digestion (see
we get the energy that enables us to carry out the many activities figure 1). To make it a little more interesting, try to imagine what
that we do each day? How do we obtain materials needed for the happens to a hamburger when eaten. Remember that ground meat
growth and repair of body parts? is mostly protein, mayonnaise is mostly fat, and the bun is mostly
The food that we eat plays a central role in the survival of species. It carbohydrate. The journey of the food starts from the mouth down
provides the energy that enables us to carry out the many activities to the anus takes about 18-20 hours. A. INGESTION is the first
that we do each day such as breathing, walking, studying, and process that happens in digestive system. It is the journey of taking
cooking. Food also provides the substances needed for growth and in food or any substance into the body through the mouth. The
repair of body parts. journey of food starts when a bit of hamburger enters your mouth.
The cells in the body need food for energy used for growth and
B. DIGESTION is the second process involved in digestive system.
repair. Food must be broken down into a form that these
It is the process that involves break down of large food molecules
microscopic cells can use. The body changes food into a usable form
into smaller molecules for easy absorption of the cells. Both chemical
by means of a group of organs referred to as the
digestive system. and mechanical digestions begin immediately in the mouth. While
the food is in the mouth, the teeth cut, crush, and break it apart
In Activity 1, you must have into tiny pieces while the tongue helps mix food with saliva secreted
inferred that the digestive by the salivary
system is composed of
different organs that work glands forming into a moist ball called bolus so it can be easily
swallowed. This process is known as mastication or chewing
together to break down food
considered as a mechanical digestion, which is the initial stage of
and nourish the body. It also
digestion. The saliva contains salivary amylase, the enzyme that
involves important processes breaks down starch into smaller carbohydrate. Then, the bolus
in order to carry out the passes from the mouth to the esophagus - a tube that attaches the
function of the digestive mouth to the stomach. A series of wave-like muscle contractions
system. The function of the known as peristalsis push and transport foods and liquids in small
digestive system is sections to the stomach.
digestion, the breakdown of The stomach is a J-shaped, bag-like muscular organ that can hold
organic compounds into their approximately one liter of fluid and food. The primary function of the
simple forms for use by the stomach is to store food, which turns to chyme after being acted on
cells. Digestion is the chief by the stomach acid. Chyme is a semifluid material formed from
function of the digestive bolus that is acted upon by the gastric juices secreted by the
system. It breaks down food stomach. The walls of the stomach have special cells that secrete
gastric juices like hydrochloric acid and pepsin that begin the the duodenum, the jejunum, and ileum. The duodenum is the first
chemical breakdown of proteins. and shortest part of the small intestine that starts at the lower end
of the stomach and extends for about 20 cm to 25 cm in length.
Basically, it is in charge for the continuous breaking-down process as
it partially receives the chyme from the stomach, it resumes
chemical digestion of food, and prepares for absorption through the
villi.
Organic compounds such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are
specifically broken down with the aid of different enzymes.
Carbohydrates are broken down into sugars by enzymes like
amylase, maltase and lactase. Proteins are broken down into amino
acids by enzymes like trypsin and peptidase. Fats are broken down
into fatty acids by the enzyme lipase. After about four hours, the
stomach pushes food into the
small intestines. See Figure 2
and Figure 2.1. The production
and release of enzymes and
acids in the digestive system is
called secretion. It aids in the
Let us take a short detour into the three organs that are part of the
breaking down of complex food
digestive
molecules into their chemical
system and helps in secretion of essential substances. These organs
building blocks. The jejunum is
are the liver, the pancreas and the gall bladder. The liver produces
the second part of the small
bile, a green fluid that turns large fat droplets into smaller ones and
intestine that is 2.5 cm in length.
stores them in the gall bladder. When necessary, bile gets into the
Its wall works for absorption through enterocytes or columnar cells
small intestine and helps in the digestion of fat. The pancreas
of small nutrient particles which have been previously digested by
makes three different kinds of enzymes namely amylase, peptidase,
the enzymes in the duodenum.
and lipase released through a pancreatic duct that aid in the
C. Absorption is the third process that happens in the digestive
digestion of all three organic compounds such as carbohydrates,
system. It occurs mostly in the small intestine where several
proteins, and fats respectively. The process takes about half of a liter
digestive juices, pancreatic juice, and bile aid in the chemical
of digestive juices each day. The liver is the biggest organ inside the
digestion of food. Absorption is the process of passing the soluble
body with a mass of about two kilograms. Gall bladder - a small
food molecules in the wall of the small intestine through the villi –
pear-shaped sac that can hold about 50ml of bile. The pancreas is a
the tiny, finger-like projections from the epithelial lining of the
small organ found below the stomach. The small intestine is an
intestinal wall. Each villus contains blood capillaries that enable it to
organ that breaks down food further into substances, such as
absorb water,
glucose, that can be absorbed by the villi. It has three parts namely
glucose, amino acids, vitamins, minerals,
and fatty acids. It also increases the amount of surface area maintains alkaline conditions. This is the last segment of the
available for the absorption of gastrointestinal tract that completes absorption and compacts waste.
E. Egestion is the last process that occurs in the digestive system. It is the release of undigested food
collected in the rectum called feces and pushed out of the body through the anus by defecation.
Figure3. Absorption of nutrients through the villi. nutrients. See
figure 3.
D. Assimilation is the fourth
process that occurs in the
digestive system. It is the
movement of digested food
nutrients into the blood vessels
of the small intestine through
diffusion and use of nutrients
into the body cells through the
microvilli – microscopic cellular
membrane projections that
serves to expand the surface
area for diffusion and also to
lessen any
increase in volume. See figure 4. The third part of the small intestine
is the ileum which is about 3.5 meters in length. Its main function is
the assimilation (absorption) of B12 and the re-assimilation
(reabsorption) of conjugated bile salts. The Large intestine is
divided into caecum, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending
colon, and sigmoid colon. This is where reabsorption of liquid,

Figure 4 Diffusion of Nutrients through the Microvilli.

electrolytes and some vitamins from the undigested food takes
place. It secretes to aid in the formation of feces and maintains
alkaline conditions. This is the last segment of the gastrointestinal
tract that completes absorption and compacts waste.
The Large intestine is divided into caecum, ascending colon,
transverse colon,
descending colon, and sigmoid colon. This is where reabsorption of
liquid, electrolytes and some vitamins from the undigested food
takes place. It secretes mucus to aid in the formation of feces and