GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT 3 Areas of the Oral Cavity

Overview of Digestion Oropharynx

2 main groups of organs in the digestive - soft palate

system. - two sets of TONSILS
o Palatine
1. Alimentary Canal (nutrition) o Lingual
a. Mouth - the tonsils remove pathogens that enter
b. Pharynx the pharynx. They contain lymphocytes.
c. Esophagus
d. Stomach Nasopharynx
e. Small Intestine
- locates superior and posterior to the soft
f. Large Intestine
palate.
2. Accessory Digestive Organs
- contains the PHARYNGEAL TONSILS and
a. Teeth
TUBAL TONSILS.
b. Tongue
c. Gall bladder Laryngopharynx
d. Salivary Glands
- inferior to the epiglottis and posterior to
e. Liver
the larynx.
f. Pancreas
- this division opens into the esophagus
Pharynx and Oral Cavity and larynx.

 Superior to the ORAL CAVITY is the

HARD PALATE composed of the
MAXILLARY and PALATINE bones.
 Is the first part of the digestive tract.
It is bounded by the lips and cheeks
that contain the teeth and the
tongue.
 Posterior to the hard palate is the
SOFT PALATE. This is muscular
tissue that is moved during
swallowing.
 Hanging from the soft palate is a How Does “Digestion” occur?
conical structure called the UVULA. 1. Ingestion
2. Propulsion
Peristalsis – alternate waves of
muscular contraction and
relaxation in the primary digestive
organs. The end result is to
squeeze food from one part of the
system to the next.
3. Mechanical Digestion
- Physical preparation of food for digestion.
- Segmentation – mixing of food in the
intestines with digestive juices.
4. Chemical Digestion
- Carbohydrates, Fat, and Proteins are
broken down by enzymes.
 5. Absorption Swallowing
- transfer of the digested portion of food
- Is a reflex.
into the blood from the digestive canal.
- When the mouth closes, the soft palate is
6. Defecation
pushed superiorly and closes the nasal
- removal/elimination of the waste
passages.
products from the body.
- A sphincter valve closes off the
Mouth and Associated Organs eustachian tubes.
- The glottis closes and respiration stops.
- Food enters the GI tract at the mouth. It
- The glottis also bends and closes the
is chewed, manipulated by the tongue,
entrance into the larynx.
and moistened with saliva.
- The esophagus is opened by pressure of
Tongue the food. This allows the epiglottis to
open.
- Skeletal - Food then enters the esophagus.
- Mixes food with saliva into a compact
mass knows as a BOLUS.
- LINGUAL FENULUM attaches the tongue
to the floor of the mouth and prevents
posterior movement of the tongue.
Salivary Glands
- When you dissect your cat, you will
notice two muscles on the inside of the
cheek.
- The DIGASTRIC MUSCLE opens the jaw.
Teeth
- The MASSETER MUSCLE closes the jaw.
- The masseter inserts on the mandible. - Very similar to bone.
- Superficial to part of the masseter and - Three major components:
anterior to the ear is the large PAROTID o hydroxyapatite Ca5(PO4)3(OH)
GLAND. This gland produces SALIVARY o bone collagen
AMYLASE (ptyalin), a digestive enzyme. It o cells
is also the largest of the salivary glands. - The pH of the mouth is usually 7.2
- Anterior to the parotid gland is the - There are acids in the mouth that come
SUBMANDIBULAR GLAND from three sources:
(SUBMAXILLARY). o stomach acid during vomiting
- The SUBMAXILLARY DUCT empties this o foods
gland. It runs on the lateral aspect of the o waste products of mouth bacteria
digastric muscle.
- This gland carries saliva into the angle of Tooth Anatomy
the lower jaw.
- Enamel: hardest substance in the body
- The SUBLINGUAL GLAND is on the
- Pulp Cavity: contains arteries, veins, and
submaxillary duct.
nerves.
- Alveolus: made of alveolar bone
- Root: made of dentin
- Gingiva: gum
- Periodontal membrane: periosteum found
around the tooth.
- Cementum: material that holds the tooth
in the alveolus.
- INCISORS – chisel shaped for nipping
food.
 - CANINES – cone shaped for tearing. the muscles to mix and churn the food in
- PREMOLARS the body of the stomach.
- MOLARS - grinding food - The mixing is with water, hydrochloric
- 32 teeth in the Permanent Dentition acid (produced in the stomach), and
- 20 teeth in the Deciduous Dentition pepsin. This mixture is known as
CHYME.
- The release of the chyme is regulated by
the pyloric sphincter.
- The stomach also has longitudinal folds
within the lumen. These folds, called
RUGAE, increase the surface area of the
stomach.
Small Intestine
Chewing (Mastication)
- 3 Parts:
- Helps the digestive process by: o Duodenum – 10 inches long
o Mixes food with digestive enzymes o Jejunum – 8 Feet long
in saliva. o Ileum – 11 Feet long
o Increases surfaces area of food. - The small intestine produces 7 enzymes.
o Makes moving the food easier. There are a total of 17 enzymes that are
dumped into the duodenum for
Saliva digestion.
- Contains PTYALIN or SALIVARY - The small intestine is the area where
AMYLASE. These are enzymes that break most digestion occurs.
down starches. These enzymes are only - It is also the place where 74% of the
active under certain pH conditions. absorption of nutrients occur.
- The pH of the mouth is about 7.2 - Within the plicae circularis are arteries,
(slightly alkaline as 7 directly in the capillaries, and veins. The veins drain
middle of the scale) into the HEPATIC PORTAL SYSTEM
- When the swallowed food reaches the which ultimately drain into the liver and
stomach, the pH drops to 3 (very acidic). INFERIOR VENA CAVA.
The ptyalin is no longer active at that ph. - There is also lymphatic drainage via
- Once food is swallowed, smooth muscle LACTEALS which drain into the
in the esophagus carries the bolus by CISTERNA CHYLI. These drain into the
PERISTALSIS. THORACIC DUCT.
- The bolus enters the stomach by passing - SEGMENTAL PERISTLASIS occurs in the
through the GASTROESOPHAGEAL small intestine. This segmenting results
SPHINCTER. It is held shut by in a sausage appearing structure.
contraction of muscle. - The ileocecal valve (sphincter) regulates
flow into to large intestine. It also
prevents backflow from the large
intestine into the small intestine.
- The LESSER CURVATURE of the
stomach is anchored to the liver with the
LESSER OMENTUM. It cannot move.
- The esophagus and duodenal ends are
anchored. As food fills the stomach, it
can sag on the left side.
- The walls of the stomach have 3 muscle
layers.
- These muscles do not contract together-
they contract out of sync. This enables
 SPHINCTER OF ODDI. This sphincter
relaxes when the gall bladder contracts.
Pancreas
- Produces approximately 10 enzymes
which are responsible for digestion.
- The PANCREATIC DUCT carries these
enzymes directly into the common bile
duct. Sometimes it empties directly into
the duodenum (anatomic variance).
- Also secretes BICARBONATE which
neutralizes the duodenal contents.
- The ISLETS OF LANGERHANS produce
Liver INSULIN and GLUCAGON.

FUNCTIONS Large Intestine

1. Detoxification of blood - 5 feet long

2. Carbohydrate metabolism - The CECUM extends as a 2.5-inch blind
a. glycogenesis – formation of sac caudally from the sphincter.
glycogen from excess glucose in - Off the cecum is the APPENDIX. There is
circulation. currently no purpose for the appendix.
b. glycogenolysis – breakdown of Some research is pointing toward an
glycogen in times of fasting. immune function.
c. gluconeogenesis-formation of
glucose in hepatocytes from raw
materials.
3. Lipid metabolism
a. synthesizes large quantities of
cholesterol and phospholipids.
b. oxidizing triglycerides to produce
energy,
4. Protein synthesis
5. Secretion of bile
- From the cecum is the ASCENDING
COLON (5 inches). It is retroperitoneal.
- Bile contains bile salts, water, pigments, - The RIGHT COLIC FLEXURE leads to the
cholesterol, and lecithin (a phospholipid) TRNASVERSE COLON (15 inches).
- Bile salts act like detergents and - The LEFT COLIC FLEXURE leads to the
EMULSIFY fats. Makes fat form into DESCENDING COLON (10 inches) and it
small droplets that are more soluble. is also retroperitoneal.
Greater surface area makes it more - The descending colon leads to the
digestible. SIGMOID COLON. The name change
- Bile is stored in the GALL BLADDER occurs at the SIGMOID FLEXURE.
where it is concentrated. When fat is - The RECTUM (5 inches) leads to the
detected in the duodenum, the gall ANAL CANAL (7 inches).
bladder contracts, and bile is discharge - The final sphincter in the tract is the
into it. SPHINCTER ANI.
- The COMMON BILE DUCT comes into - The sigmoid and rectum are also
the first inch of the duodenum. Its retroperitoneal.
opening is called the AMPULLA OF - The transverse colon hands on a piece of
VATER. This opening is controlled by the the MESOCOLIC LIGAMENT.
- It hangs into the umbilical region.
- The longitudinal bands of muscle in the
colon are three bands that do not
completely surround the structure.
- The only part of the large intestine that
have complete muscle coverage is the
rectum.
- The muscles act like a drawstring that
contract the colon into little pouches.
These pouches are called HAUSTRA.
- Bacteria live in the colon. These are
important for the synthesis of Vit. B12
and K. Other bacteria are responsible for
destroying the “bad” bacteria.
- E. coli is an example.
- The sphincter ani is an involuntary
smooth muscle.
- The DEFECATION REFLEX which is kept
in control by the sigmoid flexure and
peristaltic activity.
- When peristalsis occurs the sphincter ani
relaxes. An EXTERNAL SPHINCTER
(skeletal muscle) can oppose the
sphincter ani. This allows you to “hold it
in” until you find a bathroom!