DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

Anatomy & Physiology | Bontigao, Thyreene Mariz P. | NUR221

11-05-22
containing nerves, blood vessels, and small
GENERAL FUNCTIONS
glands
3. MUSCULARIS lies outside the submucosa. In
• Ingestion
most parts of the digestive tract, it consists of
• Digestion
an inner layer of circular smooth muscle and
• Absorption
outer layer of longitudinal smooth muscle.
• Elimination 4. SEROSA outermost layer of the digestive tract.
➢ It consists of the PERITONEUM, which
THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM with the assistance of the is a smooth epithelial layer,
circulatory system, is a complex set of organs, glands, ➢ Its underlying CONNECTIVE TISSUE
and ducts that work together to transform food into
nutrients for cells.

• Food is taken into the digestive system,

where it is broken down into smaller and
smaller particles.
• Enzymes in the digestive system break the
particles down into very small molecules,
which are absorbed into the blood and
transported all over the body. There, those
molecules are broken down by other NERVE SUPPLY TO LAYERS
enzymes to release energy or are
assembled into new molecules to build 1. SUBMUCOSAL NERVE PLEXUS (meissner’s
plexus)
tissues and organs
➢ Motor neurons:
= CONTROL SECRETIONS
➢ Sensor receptors:
= CHEMORECEPTORS (chemical signals)
=MECHANORECEPTORS (stretch receptor)

2. MYENTRIC NERVE PLEXUS (averbach’s plexus)

via:
➢ PANS- vagus nerve (commands)
➢ SANS- decrease secretion

MN PLEXUS is between circular and longitudinal

smooth muscles, for GIT contraction and motility.
This also controls most part of GIT

ANATOMY OF DIGESTIVE SYSTEM PERITONEUM

LAYERS OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT It is a serous membrane located in the wall/lining in

the abdomen
1. MUCOSA the innermost tunic made up of • PARIETAL PERITONEUM near/ lines the wall
internal membrane non-keratinized stratified of abdominal cavity
squamous epithelium and it consists of three • VISCERAL PERITONEUM near/covers the
layers (smooth muscles): digestive organs
• RETROPERITONEAL located in the posterior
• MUCOUS EPITHELIUM the innermost layer of peritoneum; holds organs behind
• LAMINA PROPRIA a loose connective tissue; peritoneum located in the retroperitoneum
lymphatic vessel are:
• MUSCULARIS MUCOSAE thin outer layer of ➢ Duodenum
smooth muscle ➢ Pancreas
2. SUBMUCOSA lies just outside the mucosa. It is ➢ Ascending & descending colon
a thick layer of loose connective tissue ➢ Kidneys

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 DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Anatomy & Physiology | Bontigao, Thyreene Mariz P. | NUR221
11-05-22
➢ Adrenal gland MUMPS is the inflammation of parotid gland
➢ Urinary bladder
PHARYNX
Many of the organs of the abdominal cavity are held
in place by connective tissue sheets called • NASOPHRAYNX – air passage only
MESENTERIES • OROPHRAYNX (food)
• The mesentery associated with the small • LARYNGOPHARYNX (food)
intestine is called the MESENTERY PROPER
• Mesentery connecting the lesser curvature ESOPHAGUS
of the stomach to the liver and diaphragm
SPHINCTERS to aid movement of food to the stomach
is called the LESSER OMENTUM
• Mesentery connecting the greater curvature • Upper sphincter open allow food inside
of the stomach to the transverse colon and esophagus
posterior body wall is called the GREATER • Lower sphincter prevents the acid to go up
OMENTUM. in esophagus; helps diaphragm

The mouth, esophagus, and anal canal are non- GASTROESOPHRARYNGEAL REFLUX DISEASE (GERD) also
keratinized. From stomach to intestine are simple known as acid reflux and can be recognized through
columnar. heart burn symptom. Lower esophagus starts to
loosen causing acid to escape upward.

ANATOMY OF ORAL CAVITY BARRET’S ESOPHAGUS condition where in the lining of

lower esophagus changes and became thin because
The oral cavity or mouth, is divided into two regions: of acid reflux.

• The space between the lips or cheeks and SWALLOWING

the teeth,
• The oral cavity proper, which lies inside the When swallowing, soft palette moves upward,
teeth and houses the tongue epiglottis moves downward

PHASES IN SALLOWING

• BUCCAL voluntary; tongue moves upward to

push food
• PHARYNGEAL involuntary; swallowing
phase; SANS
• ESOPHARYNGEAL involuntary; food inside
the esophagus; SANS

The major attachment of the tongue is in the posterior

part of the oral cavity. The anterior part of the tongue
is relatively free, except for an anterior attachment to
the floor of the mouth by a thin fold of tissue called
the FRENULUM

SALIVARY GLANDS
• SUBLINGUAL SALIVARY GLAND &
SUBMANDIBULAR SALIVARY GLAND
(controlled by PANS)
• SUBLINGUAL DUCTS ANATOMY OF STOMACH
• PAROTID SALIVARY GLAND produces saliva
The stomach is divided into four regions:
located near masseter

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 DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Anatomy & Physiology | Bontigao, Thyreene Mariz P. | NUR221
11-05-22
• The esophagus opens into the CARDIAC As food enters the stomach, the food is mixed with
PART of the stomach at the gastro- stomach secretions to become a semifluid mixture
esophageal opening. called CHYME
• Part of the stomach to the left of the cardiac
part is the FUNDUS, superior to the cardiac [Link] PHASE
opening.
The cephalic phase is the brain phase of stomach
• The largest part of the stomach is the BODY, secretion. It is controlled by the CNS (medulla
which turns to the right, creating a greater oblongata). It begins even before the bolus of food
curvature and a lesser curvature. enters the stomach
• The body narrows to form the funnel-
shaped PYLORIC part of the stomach. The Stimulated by: GASTRIN, ACETHYLCHOLINE, HISTAMINE
pyloric part opens into the small intestine Inhibit by: SOMASTOTIN, SECRETIN, CHOLECYTOSKININ
and is surrounded by the PYLORIC
SPHINCTER, a relatively thick ring of smooth
GASTRIN is a hormone that enters the blood and is
muscle. The pyloric sphincter helps
carried back to the stomach, where it stimulates
regulate the movement of gastric contents
additional secretory activity
into the small intestine.
[Link] PHASE
The gastric phase of stomach secretion produces the
greatest volume of gastric secretions. The gastric
phase is activated by the presence of food in the
stomach
1. Local nervous secretory reflexes
2. Vagal reflexes
3. Gastrin (histamine)

Stomach muscles has 3 layers for more effective [Link] PHASE

construction of food and has an oblique muscle
• Inhibitory
The submucosa and mucosa of the stomach are • Tells the stomach to stop producing acid
arranged in large folds called RUGAE when the
stomach is empty , these folds allow the mucosa and GASTRIC ACID SECRETION STIMULATION
submucosa to stretch, and the folds disappear as the
stomach is filled
HORMONAL GASTRIC ACID SECRETION
PROTECTIVE BARRIERS OF STOMACH • Antral G-cells will release gastrin by
• MUCUS dietary peptide
• MUCOSAL LINING contains prostaglandins • Gastrin will flow to upper part/fundic area
that promote healing of stomach lining • It will bind to a receptor (H2) in ECL to
➢ ASPIRIN = inhibits prostaglandin release histamine
• Histamine binds to H2 found in parietal
CELLS OF GASTRIC GLANDS cell
ANTRAL G CELLS Gastrin • Parietal cell release acid
ANTRAL D CELL Somatostatin • Hydrogen potassium pump/proton pump
ENTEROCHROMAFFIN - Histamine • Release cell acid
LIKE CELLS
OMEPRAZOLE a medicine that inhibits the hydrogen
PARIETAL CELLS Hydrochloric acid
potassium pump
CHIEF CELLS Pepsin
MUCOUS NECK CELLS Mucus
NEURAL SECRETION
• Vagus nerve stimulate antral D-cell;
PHASE GASTRIC SECRETION
histamine
• Luminal acid to D cell

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 DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Anatomy & Physiology | Bontigao, Thyreene Mariz P. | NUR221
11-05-22
• D cells release somatostatin to PANCREAS
communicate with G-cell to stop releasing
acid The pancreas is a complex organ composed of both
• Uses acetylcholine receptor endocrine and exocrine tissues that perform several
VAGOTOMY removes vagus nerve supply to reduce functions. 1% exocrine, 99% endocrine
acid secretion
• The pancreas is located behind the
stomach and is retroperitoneal.
LIVER AND GALLBLADDER • The head of the pancreas is nestled within
the curvature of the duodenum .
LIVER
• The body and tail extend to the spleen
• The liver is the largest internal organ of the
body and weighs about 1.36 kg (3 pounds)
• Located in the right upper quadrant of the Exocrine function of insulin secretes INSULIN and
GLUCAGON.
abdomen, tucked against the inferior
surface of the diaphragm. The posterior
surface of the liver is in contact with right • Alpha cells of pancreas = glucagon
ribs • Beta cells of pancreas = insulin
• HEPATOCYTES cells of liver
• Receives 25% blood from cardiac output STRUCTURE OF PANCREAS

FUNCTIONS OF LIVER • Has ducts and opening

• Pancreatic duct of wirsung
• Produces bile (to absorb lipids) • Hepatopancreatic ampulla (ampulla of
• Carbohydrate metabolism vater)
• Lipid metabolism • Major duodenal papilla
• Excretion of bilirubin • Sphincter of oddi
• Processing of drugs and hormones • Duct of Santorini (2.5 cm superior to
• Storage, phagocytosis, activation of Vit. D ampulla of vater)

Liver receives blood from haptic portal vein (blood to SMALL INTESTINE
liver to inferior vena cava to heart). Drugs will pass
first in liver before circulation FIRST PASS EFFECT a. DUODENUM
b. JEJUNUM
c. ILEUM (towards large intestine)
➢ Ileo cecal valve (blocked)

STRUCTURE OF INTESTINE

• CIRCULAR FOLDS (plicae circulares)

• VILLI & MICROVILLI increase surface area for
absorption
• Has CAPILLARIES inside for nutrition
absorption
GALLBLADDER CELLS IN INTESTINE
• Storage of bile
• Located underneath liver ABSORPTIVE CELLS
GOBLET CELLS
PANETH CELLS
GALLSTONES are solidified bile, it blocks the common ENTEROENDOCRINE CELLS
bile duct causing pain and jaundice, BRUNNER’S GLANDS (found in mucosa of duodenum
and releases alkaline fluids to neutralize)

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 DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Anatomy & Physiology | Bontigao, Thyreene Mariz P. | NUR221
11-05-22

LARGE INTESTINE

SIGMOID COLON is the most movable and can be

twisted (volvulus)

GASTRIC DISEASES
1. PEPTIC ULCERS DISEASES (PUD’S)
2. DUODENAL ULCER caused by helicobacter
pilori
3. GASTRIC ULCER breakdown in gastric
wall/acids escapes
4. GERD acid reflux
5. GASTRITIS inflamed gastric mucosa (gastric
lining)