Unit 11 Vocabulary:Digestive System

Bile

A bitter, alkaline, brownish-yellow or greenish-yellow fluid that is secreted by the liver, stored in the gallbladder, and discharged into the duodenum and aids in the emulsification, digestion, and absorption of fats.

Submucosa

A layer of loose connective tissue beneath a mucous membrane.

Bolus

A masticated morsel of food or another substance ready to be swallowed, such as a bolus of barium for radiographic studies.

Cholecystokinin

A polypeptide hormone that stimulates the contraction of the gallbladder with release of bile and the secretion of pancreatic enzymes into the small intestine.

Epiglottis

A thin, triangular plate of cartilage at the base of the tongue that covers the glottis during swallowing to keep food from entering the trachea.

Salivary amylase

An enzyme found in the saliva of humans and herbivorous animals that helps in the predigestion of starches.

Essential nutrients

An essential nutrient is a nutrient required for normal body functioning that can not be synthesized by the body.

Gastric glands

Any of the branched tubular glands in the mucosa of the fundus and body of the stomach, containing parietal cells that secrete hydrochloric acid and zymogenic cells that produce pepsin.

Anal canal

The anal canal is the most terminal part of the lower GI tract/large intestine, which lies between the anal verge (anal orifice, anus) in the perineum below and the rectum above.

Anus

The anus is the opening where the gastrointestinal tract ends and exits the body.

Ileocecal sphincter

The bilabial prominence of the terminal ileum into the large intestine at the cecocolic junction in cadavers; it appears as a truncated cone with a star-shaped orifice in the living.

Cecum

The cecum or caecum is an intraperitoneal pouch that is considered to be the beginning of the large intestine.

Duodenum

The duodenum precedes the jejunum and ileum and is the shortest part of the small intestine

Laryngopharynx

The laryngopharynx is where both food and air pass. It can be found between the hyoid bone and the larynx and esophagus, which helps guide food and air where to go. It is a part of the pharynx.

Colon

The longest part of the large intestine, extending from the cecum to the rectum.

Minerals

The minerals (inorganic nutrients) that are relevant to human nutrition

Alimentary canal

The mucous membrane-lined tube of the digestive system that extends from the mouth to the anus and through which food passes, digestion takes place, and wastes are eliminated; it includes the pharynx, esophagus, stomach, and intestines.

Nasopharynx

The nasopharynx is the space above the soft palate at the back of the nose and connects the nose to the mouth, which allows a person to breathe through the nose.

Rectum

The outermost portion of the large intestine.

Pancreatic juice

The pancreatic juices contain enzymes that help digest food in the small intestine.

Oropharynx

The pharynx (plural: pharynges) is the part of the throat that is behind the mouth and nasal cavity and above the esophagus and the larynx, or the tubes going down to the stomach and the lungs.

Esophagus

The tube that connects the pharynx (throat) with the stomach. The esophagus lies between the trachea (windpipe) and the spine.

Vitamins

Vitamins are organic components in food that are needed in very small amounts for growth and for maintaining good health

Uvula

a conic projection from the posterior edge of the middle of the soft palate, composed of connective tissue containing a number of racemose glands, and some muscular fibers (musculus uvulae).

Nutrients

a food or biochemical substance used by the body that must be supplied in adequate amounts from foods consumed.

Secretin

a hormone that regulates water homeostasis throughout the body and influences the environment of the duodenum by regulating secretions in the stomach, pancreas, and liver. It is a peptide hormone produced in the S cells of the duodenum, which are located in the intestinal glands.

Mucosa

a membrane that lines various cavities in the body and covers the surface of internal organs.

Palatine tonsils

a pair of soft tissue masses located at the rear of the throat (pharynx).

Gastrin

a polypeptide hormone secreted by the stomach: stimulates secretion of gastric juice.

Sublingual glands

a small salivary gland on each side of the mouth lying beneath the mucous membrane in a fossa in the mandible near the symphysis — called also sublingual salivary gland.

Serosa

a smooth tissue membrane consisting of two layers of mesothelium, which secrete serous fluid.

Gastric juices

a thin watery acid digestive fluid secreted by the glands in the mucous membrane of the stomach and containing 0.2 to 0.4 percent free hydrochloric acid and several enzymes (as pepsin)

Calorie

a unit for measuring heat equal to the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one gram of water one degree Celsius

Pepsinogen

a zymogenic substance secreted by pyloric and gastric chief cells. It is converted to the enzyme pepsin in an acidic environment, as in the presence of hydrochloric acid produced in the stomach.

Peristalsis

alternate contraction and relaxation, which pushes ingested food through the digestive tract towards its release at the anus.

Pepsin

an enzyme, produced in the stomach, that in the presence of hydrochloric acid splits proteins into proteoses and peptones.

Pyloric canal

connects the stomach to the duodenum.

Segmentation

contractions of the circular muscles in the digestive tract, while peristalsis involves rhythmic contractions of the longitudinal muscles in the gastrointestinal tract.

Parotid glands

either of a pair of large salivary glands situated just in front of each ear.

Submandibular glands

either of a pair of salivary glands situated below the lower jaw.

Malnutrition

faulty nutrition due to inadequate or unbalanced intake of nutrients or their impaired assimilation or utilization.

Intestinal villi

intestinal villi multitudinous threadlike projections covering the surface of the mucous membrane lining the small intestine, serving as the sites of absorption of fluids and nutrients.

Lower esophageal sphincter

surrounds the lower part of the esophagus at the junction between the esophagus and the stomach.

Pharynx

the body cavity that connects the nasal and oral cavities with the larynx and esophagus.

Emulsification

the breakdown of large fat globules into smaller, uniformly distributed particles. It is accomplished mainly by bile acids in the small intestine.

Pyloric sphincter

the circular fold of mucous membrane containing a ring of circularly disposed muscle fibers that closes the vertebrate pylorus — called also pyloric valve.

Palate

the roof of the mouth, consisting of an anterior bony portion (hard palate) and a posterior muscular portion (soft palate) that separate the oral cavity from the nasal cavity.

Chyme

the semifluid mass of partly digested food expelled by the stomach into the duodenum.

Feces

the stool

Ppharyngeal tonsils

the superior-most of the tonsils.