ANAPHY Digestive System

Two Subdivisions of the Primary functions of the Digestive organs

Digestive System 1. Ingestion
1. Gastrointestinal Tract 2. Digestion
i. Mouth 3. Absorption of food
ii. Pharynx 4. Excretion of undigested food
iii. Esophagus
iv. Stomach Histologic Characteristics
v. Small and
vi. Large intestines Walls of the Digestive Tract
vii. Anus
1. Tunica Mucosa
2. Accessory Digestive Organ ➢ Functions: Absorptive, secretory, and protective
a. Salivary glands ➢ Consists of 3 layers:
b. Liver and Gallbladder a. Epithelium
c. Pancreas ➢ All are lined by simple columnar except mouth, pharynx,
esophagus, and lower anus which are lined by stratified
squamous non-keratinized.

b. Lamina Propria
➢ Loose areolar tissue

c. Muscularis Mucosa
➢ Made up of smooth muscles

2. Submucosa
➢ Connective tissue consisting of the following:
• Blood Vessels
• Lymphatics
• Nerves

➢ Major function is nutritive and protective

3. Tunica Muscularis
➢ Usually 2 layers of smooth muscles:
• Inner Circular
• Outer Longitudinal Muscle Layer

➢ However, the stomach consists of 3 layers

• Inner Oblique
• Middle Circular
• Outer Longitudinal Muscle Layer

4. Tunica Serosa
➢ Visceral Peritoneum
➢ It is a single layer of simple squamous epithelium which secretes
a small amount of serous lubricating fluid which reduces friction
among the GI tract organs and the body wall.
ANAPHY Digestive System

Main Divisions Mouth

I. Digestive Tract 1. Oral Vestibule
A. Oral Cavity ➢ Space bounded anteriorly by lips and cheeks and posteriorly by
B. Pharynx teeth and gums
1. Oropharynx
2. Laryngopharynx
C. Esophagus 2. Oral Cavity Proper
D. Stomach ➢ Space bounded by gums and teeth
E. Small Intestines ➢ The floor is the tongue
1. Duodenum ➢ The roof is the hard and soft palate
2. Jejunum
3. Ileum
F. Large Intestine Teeth
1. Cecum with ➢ Two sets of teeth during an individual’s lifetime:
vermiform appendix 1. Decidous Teeth or Temporary (Milk) Teeth
2. Ascending colon
➢ Consists of 20 teeth, 5 in each
3. Right colic flexure
4. Transverse colon quadrant:
5. Left colic flexure • 2 Incisors
6. Descending colon • 1 Canine
7. Sigmoid colon (pelvic • 2 Molars
colon)
8. Rectum ➢ Erupt on the average between 6 and
9. Anal canal 24 months after birth and are usually
shed between the ages of 6 and 12
II. Accessory Organs/Glands
A. Lips
years old
B. Teeth
C. Tongue 2. Permanent Teeth
D. Salivary Glands ➢ There are 32 permanent teeth in a full set, 8 in each
1. Big quadrant:
➢ Parotid • 2 Incisors
➢ Submandibular
➢ Sublingual
• 1 Canine
• 2 Premolars
2. Small • 3 Molars
➢ Lingual
➢ Labial
➢ Buccal
➢ Eruption of the third
E. Liver molars, or wisdom teeth is
F. Gallbladder delayed until after the age
G. Pancreas of 18.
ANAPHY Digestive System

Tongue
➢ Chief organ of taste, important in speech, mastication, and
deglutition,

Parts of Tongue
• Root
• Apex
• Body

Features of the Dorsum of the Tongue

• Papillae
a. Vallate
➢ Largest

b. Foliate
➢ Sensitive, on the sides

c. Fungiform
➢ Mushroom-shaped

d. Filiform
➢ No taste buds

• Tastebuds
➢ Sensory organs of taste especially numerous around
vallate papillae

Nerves of the Tongue

1. General Sensory
➢ Lingual (Branch of CN V) – Anterior 2/3 of tongue
➢ Glossopharyngeal (CN IX) – Posterior 1/3 of tongue
➢ Vagus (CN X) – Epiglottic Area

2. Special Sensory
➢ Anterior 2/3 – Chorda Tympani from CN VII
➢ Posterior 1/3 – Glossopharyngeal (CN IX)

3. Motor
➢ To intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of tongue
➢ Hypoglossal (CN XII)
ANAPHY Digestive System

Salivary Glands
➢ Secretions (salivary amylase) poured in the oral cavity starts
digestion of carbohydrates.

3 Major Pairs
1. Parotid
➢ Largest, lies on the posterior border of ramus of mandible
➢ Secretion is purely serous
➢ Duct: Stensen’s – opens into the vestibule of mouth opposite
second molar tooth
➢ Viral inflammation: mumps or parotitis
➢ Important structure embedded: Facial Nerve

2. Submandibular
➢ Second Largest
➢ Mixed serous and mucus gland, more of serous
➢ Duct: Wharton’s – which opens at sublingual papillae

3. Sublingual
➢ Smallest of three salivary glands
➢ Mixed serous and mucous but more of mucous
➢ Ducts:
Rivinus – small; opens at summit of sublingual fold
Bartholin’s – large; opens into sublingual papillae

Pharynx
➢ Common passage for food, fluid, and air

3 Parts of the Pharynx

1. Nasopharynx or epipharynx
➢ Located behind the nasal cavity

2. Oropharynx or mesopharynx
➢ Located behind the oral cavity proper
➢ Palatine tonsil bounded by palatoglossal and
palatopharyngeal fold

3. Laryngopharynx
➢ Located behind larynx
➢ Continuous with the esophagus
ANAPHY Digestive System

Esophagus
➢ A muscular tube extending from the pharynx to the stomach for a
distance of about 10 inches/25 cm long
➢ It is posterior to the trachea and anterior to the vertebral column; it
passes through the diaphragm in front of the aorta to enter the
stomach.

3 Anatomical Constrictions
1. At the pharyngo-esophageal junction
➢ Known as the Upper Esophageal Sphincter (UES)

2. When left main bronchus crosses esophagus

3. When it enters the diaphragm

➢ Known as the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES)
➢ LES is a physiologic sphincter

Swallowing
➢ Tongue moves upward and backward
➢ Soft palate closes the nasopharynx
➢ Epiglottis closes the laryngeal inlet
➢ Pharynx contracts
➢ Bolus enters the esophagus

3 Phases of Swallowing
1. Voluntary Phase
➢ Bolus is formed in the mouth
➢ Bolus is pushed by the tongue against the hard and the soft
palate and posteriorly towards the oropharynx

2. Pharyngeal Phase
➢ Controlled by reflex
➢ Initiated when the bolus of food stimulates the receptors in
oropharynx

3. Esophageal Phase
➢ Responsible for moving for food from pharynx to the stomach

Events during Swallowing

1. Nasopharynx closes, at the same time breathing is inhibited
2. Laryngeal muscles contract to close the epiglottis and elevate
the larynx
3. Peristalsis sweeps in the pharynx to propel food with
simultaneous opening of the esophageal sphincter.

The Swallowing reflex is coordinated in the medulla

ANAPHY Digestive System

Stomach
➢ Located within peritoneal cavity in the left superior part of the
abdomen
➢ With greater and lesser curvatures

Parts of the Stomach

1. Cardiac Region
➢ Area surrounding the point of entry of food in the stomach

2. Fundus
➢ Expanded portion found on the left border, lateral to the
cardiac region

3. Body

4. Lesser Curvature
➢ Concave medial border

5. Greater Curvature
➢ Convex lateral border

6. Pylorus
➢ Tubular portion
➢ Terminal part, continuous with the small intestine through the
pyloric sphincter
• Pyloric Antrum
• Pyloric Canal
• Pyloric Sphincter
➢ The stomach the most dilated portion of the digestive tract,
lies under the diaphragm just below the costal margin in the
Mechanism of the Stomach upper abdomen.
➢ It serves mainly as a storage and mixing chamber for food
prior to passage into the duodenum (the first part of the small
intestine), but some digestion takes place and the mixed,
partially digested food is reduced to a semifluid mass.

Cells in the Stomach

1. Parietal Cell
➢ Secretes HCl and intrinsic factor

2. Chief Cell
➢ Secretes Pepsin

3. Mucus Neck Cell

➢ Secretes Mucus

4. G Cell (Endocrine Cells)

➢ Secretes Gastrin
ANAPHY Digestive System

Small Intestines
➢ Longest
➢ 20ft (about 6 meters)

Parts of the Small Intestines

1. Duodenum
➢ C-shaped
➢ Where the Common Bile Duct (CBD) and main and
accessory pancreatic ducts enter

4 Subdivisions of the Duodenum

a. Superior (1st part)
➢ “Duodenal Bulb”

b. Descending (2nd part)

➢ Contains the greater and lesser duodenal papilla

c. Transverse/Horizontal (3rd part)

d. Ascending (4th part)

➢ Ends in the duodeno-jejunal function

Gross Structural Characteristics

• Major Duodenal Papilla (Ampulla of Vater
• With sphincter of Oddi around common duct and main
pancreatic duct of Wirsung
• Minor Duodenal of Accessory Pancreatic duct of Santorini

2. Jejunum
➢ Located at the left upper quadrant
➢ Upper 2/5 (8ft)
➢ More vascular wider and thicker than ileum

3. Ileum
➢ Longest, found at the right lower quadrant
➢ Lower 3/5 (12ft)
➢ Provided with Peyer’s patches or aggregated lymph nodules

Structural Modifications that increase the absorptive area of the

Small Intestine:
1. Microvilli
➢ Minute projections of the surface plasma membrane in the
Ligament of Treitz lining epithelium
➢ Bond of fibrous muscular
tissue which extends from 2. Villi
the duodenojejunal angle ➢ Fingerlike projections of the mucosa
into the right crus of the
diaphragm 3. Plicae Circulates/Valves of Kerkring
➢ Connects the ➢ Deep folds of mucosa and submucosa
duodenojejunal flexure to
the right crus of the
diaphragm
ANAPHY Digestive System

Large Intestines
➢ 5 ft long

Parts of the Largest Intestines

1. Cecum
➢ Widest

2. Vermiform Appendix
➢ Located posteromedial to
cecum

3. Ascending Colon
4. Right Colic Fissure
5. Transverse Colon
6. Left Colic Fissure
7. Descending Colon
8. Sigmoid Colon
➢ S-shaped

9. Rectum
➢ Continuation of sigmoid at S3 Vertebra

10. Anal Canal

Characteristic Features of Large Intestine:

1. Plicae Semilunaris
➢

2. Haustra/Sacculations
➢

3. Taenia Coli
➢

4. Epiploicae Appendices
➢

Difference between Small Intestine and Large Intestine

Small Intestines Large Intestines

Mobile except duodenum Fixed ascending and descending

colon

Narrower lumen Wider lumen

With peyer’s patches in the ileum With taenia coli, appendices

epiploicae, haustra/sacculation

Plicae Circulares Plicae Semilunares

*The bacterial flora in the large
intestine provides the body with
vit.k
ANAPHY Digestive System

Blood Supply of the GIT

1. Celiac Artery
2. Superior Mesenteric Artery
3. Inferior Mesenteric Artery
4. Internal Iliac Artery

Venous Drainage of the

Gastrointestinal Tract
➢ Through the portal vein into
the liver sinusoids and
eventually draining to the
inferior vena cava.

Accessory Digestive Organs

1. Salivary Glands
a. Parotid Gland
➢ Purely serous, with Stensen’s duct that open into oral
vestibule opposite the upper 2nd molar tooth

b. Submandibular Gland
➢ Mixed (More serous)
➢ It’s duct, Wharton’s opens into sublingual papilla

c. Sublingual Gland
➢ Mixed (More Mucus)
➢ It has 2 ducts:
• Bartholin’s Duct – opens into sublingual papilla
• Duct of Rivinus – opens into sublingual fold

2. Liver
➢ Largest gland of the body
➢ With right and left lobe
➢ With 2 smaller lobes
a. Quadrate Lobe
b. Caudate Lobe

Ligaments of the Liver

1. Falciform Ligaments
➢ Anatomical division of
the liver

2. Coronary Ligaments
➢ Attach the right lobe to the diaphragm

3. Triangular Ligaments
➢ Attach the right and left lobes to the diaphragm
ANAPHY Digestive System

Inferior/Visceral Surface
1. Fissure for ligamentum teres hepatis, ligamentum venosum
2. Fossa of Gallbladder and sulcus of the IVC
3. Porta hepatis:
a. Common Bile Duct
b. Hepatic Artery
c. Portal Vein
4. Lymphatics and nerves

3. Gallbladder
➢ Location: undersurface of the liver
➢ Stores and concentrates the bile

Parts of the Gallbladder

• Fundus
• Body
• Neck
• Infundibulum

➢ Mucosa, muscular layer and serosa

Spiral Valve of Heister

➢ are spirally arranged mucosal folds on the endoluminal
surface of the cystic duct
➢ Functions may be to preserve potency of this narrow,
tortuous tube rather than to regulate bile flow.

4. Pancreas
➢ Retroperitoneal at the back of the stomach
➢ Both endocrine and exocrine organs
➢ With head, neck, body, and tail and uncinate process
➢ 2 Ducts:
a. Major Duct of Wirsung
b. Accessory Duct of Santorini

Extrahepatic Biliary Tract

• Common Hepatic Duct
➢ Formed by the union of right and left hepatic duct

• Cystic Duct
➢ Duct of Gallbladder

• Common Bile Duct

➢ Formed by the union of cystic duct and common hepatic
duct
ANAPHY Digestive System

Carbohydrates are broken down by Salivary Amylase in the Mouth into

Polysaccharides. It will then proceed to the Stomach, later into the
Duodenum which is broken down by Pancreatic Amylase into
Disaccharides. Later in the Epithelium of the small intestines,
Disaccharidases will break down disaccharides into Monosaccharides.

Lipids are broken down by Salivary Lipase in the mouth and Bile Salts in
the liver and Lipase in Pancreas as well as Lipase in Epithelium of the
small intestines into Fatty Acids and Monoglycerides.

Proteins are broken down by Pepsin into Smaller polypeptides and later
on broken down by Trypsin, Chymotrypsin, and Carboxypeptidase into
Peptides. Later, Peptidases breaks down Peptides into Amino Acids.