CHAPTER:16

DIGESTION AND
ABSORBTION
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM :
 In human, digestive system
consist of :
(I) ALIMENTARY
CANAL/GUT/G.I tract.
(II) ASSOCATED GLADS.

1.ALIMENTARY
CANAL :
 Starts from mouth
(anterior opening) and ends
A. MOUTH:
 External opening, guard by upper
and lower lips.
 Leads to a small part called
vestibule and large part called
Oral cavity/Buccal cavity.

 VESTIBULE: Slit between lips

and gum, with Labial frenulum.
 Oral cavity/Buccal
cavity:
1. Palate: Roof of oral
cavity. Are of two types:
 Hard palate: Anterior,
bony, with rugae.
 Soft palate: Posterior,
2. with
Tongue:
uvula. Freely movable
muscular (voluntary muscle).
Attached to the base of cavity by
Lingual frenulum.
 Structure of Tongue:
Oral part contains oral papillae.
1. Vallate / Circumvallate:(8-10)
Largest, with taste bud.
2. Fungiform: round, with taste bud.
3. Filiform: Smallest, touch receptor
without taste bud, most abundant.
4. Foliate: with out taste bud, leaf
like
 sweat gland present in tongue
(dog)
3. Teeth: (Ecto-mesodermal).
# Thecodont: embedded in the
socket of jaw bone (mammals)
# Heterodont: dissimilar teeth
(I,C,PM,M).
# Diphyodont: appear twice in
life (Temporary and adult teeth)
Ex: I, C, M (except: last M), PM  Dental formula :
Permanent teeth: (I=2/2, C=1/1,
& last M (Monophyodont).
PM=2/2, M=3/3) x 2 = 16/16=32
# Bunodont: small, blunt,
Milk teeth: (I=2/2, C=1/1, PM=0/0,
rounded cusp. M=2/2) x 2 = 10/10=20
B. PHARYNX:
 Oral cavity leads to pharynx.
 Common passage for food and air.
 Oesophagus & trachea open into it.
 Epiglottis prevent the entry of food
into the glottis.
 Parts: 1. Nasopharynx
2.Oropharynx 3. Laryngopharynx
 Waldeyer’s ring: Lymphatic tissues
of pharynx and oral cavity are
arranged in ring like manner.
C. Oesophagus/Food pipe:
 Thin, long tube (25cm). Starts from pharynx
and ends in stomach.
 Posteriorly passing through neck, thorax and
pierces the diaphragm and enters into the
abdominal cavity.
 With goblet cells (Mucus secreting).
 With out digestive glands.
 Muscular gastro-oesophageal spinster present
at the mouth of stomach.
D. Stomach:
 ‘J’ shaped bag located at the upper left
portion of abdominal cavity.
 Widest organ of alimentary canal.
 In the end part there is pyloric sphincter.
 With main three parts:
1. Cardiac part: Oesophagus opens in it.
2. Fundic part: Dome shaped large part.
3. Pyloric part: Opens at first part of small
intestine.
Greater Omentum & Leser 0mentum:
E. SMALL INTESTINE:
 Long tubular, with of three parts:
1. Duodenum: ‘C’ shaped, shortest &
widest part. With the opening of
hepato-pancreatic duct.
2. Jejunum: Long, coiled part.
3. Ileum: Highly coiled, longest part.
 Both jejunum and Ileum are
suspended by mesentery.
 Small intestine contains many villi.
E. LARGE INTESTINE:
 Ileum opens into large intestine.
 It consist of :
1. Caecum: Small blind sac, with
symbiotic microbes. Vermiform
appendix developed from it.
2. Colon: With three parts. Of
which ascending colon is smallest
without mesentery.
3. Rectum: Temporary storage of
faeces.
 HISTOLOGY: (From Oesophagus to rectum)
1. SEROSA:
• Outermost layer made up of thin mesothelium. And some
connective tissues.
• Continuous with mesentery.
• Upper part of Oesophagus is without serosa but with
adventitia.
2. MUSCULARIS:
• With longitudinal and inner circular muscle fibers.
• In stomach and additional layer of oblique muscle fiber is
present.
• Controls peristaltic movement.
3. Sub-mucosa:
• Loose connective tissues, supplied by blood & lymph vessels.
• With glands in duodenum.
• Control the secretion of elementary canal.
4. MUCOSA:
• Secretes mucus for lubrication of inner lining of gut.
• With three layers:
1. Muscularis mucosa. 2. Lamina propria. 3.Inner epithelia.
• Inner epithelia forms gastric glands in stomach, villi and
intestinal glands in small intestine.
DIGESTIVE GLANDS
 SALIVARY GLANDS: (Major)
 3 pairs, present out side the buccal
cavity.
1. Parotid glands: (20% of saliva)
• Largest, situated at cheek near the ear.
• Opens through ‘Stenson’s duct’ near
the upper second molar.
• Type of Serous gland.
• Viral infection (Mumps virus) in
parotid glands causes swelling and
pain.
• It secrete : Salivary amylase ( Ptyalin)
2. Sub-maxillary/ Sub-mandibular:
• Found at lower jaw. secrets
maximum saliva (65-70%)
(Mixed)
• Opens near the lower incisor by
3. ‘Wharton’s
Sub-lingual: (Mucus gland)
ducts’.
• Smallest salivary glands.
(produce 5%of saliva).
• located beneath the tongue.
• ‘ Ducts of Rivinus’ open into the
floor of oral cavity.
# Both secretes: mucus & salivary
amylase.
  SALIVA:
• Colorless, Acidic fluid (pH:6.8).
• Secretion amount: 1-1.5 liter/day
 Composition:
• Water: 99%
• Inorganic solids: Thio-cyanate ion, Na+ , K+, Ca+2,Cl-,PO43-, HCO3-
• Organic solids:
1. Salivary amylase (Ptyalin).
2. lingual lipase (by Ebner’s gland) (Minor).
3. Mucin (Glycoprotein).
4. Kallikrein.
• Others: Lysozyme, IgA (Anti-bacterial agents).
 GASTRIC GLANDS:
 Simple, and tubular, mainly are of 3 types:
1. Cardiac glands: Mucus secreting.
2. Fundic glands:
# Mucus neck cells: Mucus secreting.
# Chief cells: Secrete Pepsinogen, gastric lipase & Pro-rennin.
# Oxyntic cell: Secrete HCl & Castle’s intrinsic factors (Vit-B12

absorption).
# Argentophilic cells: Secrete Serotonin (vasoconstrictor),
histamine (stimulator).
3. Pyloric glands (G cells) Secrete gastrin hormone (stimulator)
 Intestinal glands:
 Secrete intestinal juice /Succus entericus. (2-3 liters/day secretion).
 Types:
1. Crypts of Leiberkuhn: Tubular glands, in between the villi.
# Goblet cells: Mucus secreting.
# Paneth cells: Secrete Peptidase, lysozyme (anti-microbial)
# Enterocytic cells: Secrete water and electrolyte.
# Argentaffin cells: Secrete 5-hydroxytryptamine.
2. Brunner’s glands: Branched tubular, secrete alkaline (pH: 8.3)
watery fluid, mucous and littlie enzyme.
 Payer’s patches: Small mucosal lymph node also known as
intestinal tonsils.
 Pancreas:
• Second largest compound glands
(Exocrine + endocrine).
• Elongated, situated between the
limb of ‘U’ shaped duodenum.
• Externally it is made up of: Head,
neck and body.
• Ducts:
# Duct of Wirsung: Opens into
ampulla of Vater. (Main).
# Duct of Santorni: Opens directly
into duodenum.
 Internal structure of Pancreas:
• Exocrine part :
• With round lobules called Acini.
• Acini contains many glandular cells.
• Secrete alkaline pancreatic juice and
enzymes (pH: 8.4), carried through Duct
of Wirsung & Duct of Santorni.
• Endocrine part:
• With islets of Langerhans, Secretes
Insulin and glucagon.
• With α cells, β Cells, δ cells.
 LIVER:
• Largest gland, located in upper
right side of abdominal cavity just
below the diaphragm.
• Weight: 1.2-1.5 kg in adult
human.
• Two lobbed : Left lobe (Small) &
Right lobe (Large) separated by
falciform ligament.
• Depression on the inferior surface
is called cystic fossa. Gall bladder
is situated here.
 Internal structure:
• Hepatic lobules are the structural
and the functional unit of liver.
• Each lobule is covered by a thin
connective tissue called Glisson’s
capsule.
• Hepatic cells are arranged in the
form of cord inside the hepatic
lobules.
• Phagocytic Kupffer cells, fat
storing cells are present in the
liver.
 Ducts of liver:
• Right and left hepatic duct join to
form common hepatic duct.
• Common hepatic duct join with
cystic duct from gall bladder to
form bile duct.
• Bile duct join with pancreatic duct
to form hepato-pancreatic duct.
 Bile :
• secreted from hepatocyte and
stored into the gall bladder.
• Secretion: 700-1000 ml./ day.
 Digestion
of
Carbohydrates
 Site of Name of Digestive Content Substrate End
action glands juice with products
pH
 Buccal Salivary Saliva Salivary Boiled Starch Maltose,
cavity glands pH: 6.8 amylase (30% get Iso-maltose
hydrolyzed) and α-
dextrin
 Stomach Gastric Gastric Dilute Carbohydrat Acidic
glands juice HCl e chyme
(Oxyntic pH: 1-2.5
cells)
 Small Liver, Bile, Bicarbon Acidic chyme Alkaline
intestine Pancreas, Pancreatic ate ions chyme.
(Duodenum Brunner’s juice and
) glands alkaline
mucous
 Site of Name of Digestive Content Substrate End
action glands juice with products
pH
 Small Pancreas Pancreatic Pancreatic Starch Maltose, Iso-
intestine Aciner’s juice amylase and maltose, and
(Duodenum cells (pH: 7-8) glycogen α-dextrin
)

 Small Intestinal Succus •Dextrinas • Dextrin, • Glucose

intestine glands entericus e
(Crypts of (pH: 8.3) • • Glucose
( Jejunum) Lieberkuhn •Isomaltas Isomaltos + Glucose
) e e&
& maltose •Glucose +
Maltase, Fructose
•Sucrose, •Glucose +
• Sucrase, galactose
Digestion
of
Proteins
 Site of Name of Digestiv Content Substrate End
action glands e juice products
with pH
 Stomach Gastric Gastric • Dilute • Dietary • Acid meta-
glands juice HCl undigested protein
(Oxyntic pH: 1-2.5 protein
cells &
chief cells) • Pepsin • Acid meta- • peptones,
protein proteoses,
polypeptides

• Gelatin • peptones,
•Gelatinas (Boiled proteoses,
e meat) polypeptides

• Para
• Casein
casein
• Renin
 Site of Name of Digestive Content Substrate End
action glands juice with products
pH
 Small Liver, Bile, HCO3- • Acid • Alkaline
intestine Pancreas Pancreatic chyme chyme
(Duodenum Brunner’s juice and
) glands alkaline
mucous

 Small Pancreas Pancreatic • Trypsin • Proteins •Oligopeptid

intestine (Acinar juice e,
cells) (pH: 7- 8) • Chymo- • Peptone dipeptides.
(Duodenum trypsin • Dipeptides.
) • Carboxy- • Proteoses
Peptidase. • Dipeptides.
• Elastase • Elastin
• Dipeptides.
 Site of Name Digestiv Content Substrate End
action of e juice products
glands with pH
 Small Intestina Succus • Endo- •Oligopeptid • Dipeptide &
l glands entericus peptidase e tri-peptide.
intestine (pH: 8.3)
(Jejunum
) • Dipeptide. • Amino
• Di-peptidase acids
•Oligopeptide
• Amino - • Amino
peptidase acids
Digestion
of
Lipids
 Site of Name of Digestive Content Substrate End
action glands juice with products
pH
 Stomach Gastric Gastric Dilute Fat of butter, Butyric
glands juice HCl, fat of egg acids and
(Oxyntic Gastric yolk and glycerol.
cells, lipase milk.
Chief
cells)

 Small Liver, Bile, HCO3- Large lipid Alkaline

intestine Pancreas Pancreatic globule, long chyme
(Duodenum Brunner’s juice and chain fatty
) glands alkaline acid present
mucous in the acid
chyme.
 Site of Name Digestive Content Substrate End
action of juice with products
glands pH
 Small Liver Bile Bile salt Large lipid Emulsified
intestine (7.6-8.6) and globule, long lipid (small
(Duodenum lecithin chain fatty lipid
) acid present particles)
in the acid
chyme.
 Small Pancrea Pancreatic •Pancreatic •Triglycerides •Fatty acids
intestine s (Acinar juice(pH: 7- lipase/ and mono
(Duodenum cells) 8) Steapsin & glycerides.
) colipase *
•Cholestero • Cholesterol
l esterase ester. • Fatty
acids and
Cholesterol
 Site of Name Digestiv Content Substrate End
action of e juice products
glands with pH
•Phospholipas •Phospholipi •Fatty acids,
e d (Cephalin Glyceryl
& Lecithin) phosphoryl
choline,
Glyceryl
phosphoryl
ethanolamin
e.
 Small Intestina Succus Intestinal • Glyceryl • Glycerol,
Intestin l glands entericus lipase phosphoryl phosphate,
e (pH: 8.3) choline, Choline,
Glyceryl Ethanolamin
phosphoryl .
ethanolamin
Absorption of
Nutrients.
1. Simple diffusion.
2. Osmosis.
3. Facilitated diffusion.
4. Active transport.
  ABSORPTION OF MONO-SACCHARIDES
• Place: Stomach and Jejunum.
• Mode of transport: Glucose and Galactose (Active transport),
Fructose (Facilitated transport).
# Most rapidly transported mono-saccharides: Galactose followed
by Glucose.
 ABSORPTION OF AMINO  ABSORPTION OF WATER
ACIDS • Place: Stomach, Small
• Place: Duodenum and intestine, large intestine.
Jejunum. • Mode of absorption: Osmosis.
• Mode of transport: Active
transport & Facilitated.
  ABSORPTION OF FATTY ACID,  ABSORPTION OF
GLYCEROL AND FAT SOLUBLE ALCOHOL
VITAMINS • Place: Stomach and Small
• Place: Jejunum and Ileum. intestine.
• Mode of absorption: Simple • Mode of absorption:
diffusion. Simple diffusion .
 ABSORPTION OF SALTS  ABSORPTION OF WATER
• Place: Small intestine mainly SOLUBLE VITAMINS
duodenum (Bile salt: Ileum) • Place: Small intestine.
• Mode of absorption: Active • Mode of absorption: Simple
transport, Osmosis. diffusion .
Hormonal Control
 ASSIMILATION: The process in which absorbed substances
finally reach to the tissues which utilized them for their activity.

 EGESTION:
 Digestive waste solidified into faeces.
 Natural reflex causing an urge.
 Removal of faeces through anal pore is a voluntary process
and is carried out by mass peristaltic movement.
 DISORDERS:
1. Jaundice:
• Liver is affected.
• Skin and eye turns yellow due
to deposition of bile pigment
(Bilirubin).
1. Vomiting:
• Ejection of stomach content.
• reflex action controlled by
vomit center of medulla.
• feeling of nausea.
3. Diarrhoea:
• Abnormal frequency of bowel movement.
• Increased liquidity of faecal matter.
• reduce the absorption of food.
4. Constipation:
• Irregular bowl movement.
• Faeces are retained within the rectum.
5. Indigestion:
• Food is not properly digested.
• feeling of fullness.
• Due to over eating, anxiety, food poisoning, spicy food,
inadequate enzyme secretion.