M O D UL E 1

THE HUMAN
DIGESTIVE
SYSTEM
 LET’S DISCUSS

DIGESTIVE
SYSTEM
The Digestive system is
composed of different organs
that work together to break
down food and nourish the body.
INGESTION
INGESTION is the first process
that happens in digestive
system. It is the journey of
taking in food or any substance
into the body through the
mouth. This where the first
process begin the mechanical
process.
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MOUTH
The mouth is the beginning of the
digestive tract.

Breaks food into smaller pieces

using teeth and mixes it with saliva
to start digestion.
• While the food is in the MOUTH, the
teeth cut, crush, and break it apart
into tiny pieces while the tongue
helps mix food with saliva secreted
by the salivary glands forming into
a moist ball called bolus so it can
be easily swallowed.
• The saliva contains salivary
amylase, the enzyme that breaks
down starch into smaller
Mouth
Mechanical Digestion
The mouth begins the process. Teeth break down food.
This increases surface area for enzymes.
Chemical Digestion
Saliva contains amylase. Amylase starts breaking
down starches. This process makes digestion easier.
Swallowing
The esophagus propels food to the stomach. It does
this through peristaltic movements.
The esophagus transports food. Peristalsis moves
food to the stomach. This prevents backflow.
[Link] is the first process that
happens in digestive system. It is the
journey of taking in food or any substance
into the body through the mouth. This
where the first process begin the
mechanical process.
[Link] happens to the food once it is ingested?
-When food is ingested, it goes through a
process called digestion, which breaks
down the food into smaller molecules that
can be absorbed and used by the body.
3. What are the different parts in the oral cavity that aid in the mechanical
digestion process?
Teeth: Teeth are used to chew and grind food into smaller pieces,
increasing the surface area for enzymes to act on during digestion.
Tongue: The tongue helps move food around the mouth during chewing
and swallowing. It also helps mix food with saliva, forming a bolus (a soft
mass of chewed food) that is easier to swallow.
Salivary Glands: Salivary glands produce saliva, which moistens food
and contains enzymes (such as amylase) that begin the digestion of
carbohydrates.
Palate: The palate, consisting of the hard palate at the front and the soft
palate at the back of the mouth, helps to manipulate food and push it
towards the back of the mouth for swallowing.
Uvula: The uvula, a small fleshy extension at the back of the soft palate,
helps prevent food from entering the nasal cavity during swallowing.
4. How does saliva help in the digestion process?
It helps soften the food, making it easier to chew and swallow.
It also helps form a bolus (a soft mass of chewed food) that
can be easily swallowed.
5. What is the role of enzyme amylase in chemical digestion
process?
The enzyme amylase plays a crucial role in the chemical
digestion of carbohydrates.
It breaks down complex carbohydrates into simpler sugars,
which can then be absorbed and used for energy by the
body.
Amylase specifically targets starch, which is a complex
carbohydrate made up of long chains of glucose molecules.
6. What is the end product of mechanical and chemical
digestion in the mouth?
-The end product of mechanical and chemical
digestion in the mouth is a bolus of food that
has been partially broken down into smaller
pieces and mixed with saliva, which contains
partially digested carbohydrates.
-This bolus is then swallowed and moves through
the esophagus to the stomach for further
digestion.
-The end product of mechanical digestion
is chewed food. However, the end product of
chemical digestion is nutrients.
DIGESTION
DIGESTION is the second process
involved in digestive system.
*It is the process that involves
break down of large food
molecules into smaller molecules
for easy absorption of the cells.
*Both chemical and mechanical
digestions begin immediately in
the mouth.
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ESOPHAGUS
A tube that pushes food
from the mouth to the
stomach through muscle
movement.
•The bolus passes from the mouth
to the ESOPHAGUS - a tube that
attaches the mouth to the
stomach.
•A series of wave-like muscle
contractions known as peristalsis
push and transport foods and
liquids in small sections to the
STOMACH.
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STOMACH
The stomach is a sac-like organ
with strong muscular walls. It
serves as a mixer and grinder of
food.

Uses acid and enzymes to break

down food into a semi-liquid form.
Stomach: The Acidic Mixing
Chamber
Churning Acid Production
The stomach Hydrochloric acid
muscles contract. kills bacteria. It
This mixes food also helps break
with gastric down proteins.
juices. Creating a The stomach
liquid called lining protects
chyme. itself.
Enzyme Action
Pepsin breaks down proteins. Lipase
begins fat digestion. Food becomes
nutrient-rich chyme.
STOMACH is a J-shaped, bag-like muscular organ
that can hold approximately one liter of fluid and
food.
The primary function of the stomach is to store food,
which turns to chyme after being acted on by the
stomach acid.
• Chyme- is a semifluid material formed from bolus
that is acted upon by the gastric juices secreted by
the stomach.
• The walls of the stomach have special cells that
secrete gastric juices like hydrochloric acid and
pepsin that begin the chemical breakdown of
proteins.
1. How does mechanical digestion happen in the stomach?
-In the stomach, mechanical digestion occurs through
a process called mixing and churning.
-When food enters the stomach from the esophagus,
the stomach muscles contract rhythmically, mixing the
food with gastric juices to form a semi-liquid mixture
called chyme.
2. What is the acid secreted in the stomach? What is its role
in the digestion process?
-The acid secreted in the stomach is called
hydrochloric acid (HCl). It is produced by the parietal
cells in the stomach lining and plays several important
roles in the digestion process
3. What is the role of the enzyme pepsin in the chemical
digestion process?
-Pepsin plays a critical role in breaking down
dietary proteins into smaller peptides, which are
more easily absorbed and utilized by the body for
growth, repair, and other biological functions.
4. Where does protein digestion start?
-Protein digestion starts in the stomach. When
protein-rich food enters the stomach, it stimulates
the release of gastric juices, which contain
hydrochloric acid (HCl) and the enzyme
pepsinogen.
5. What is the end product after the mechanical and
chemical digestion process in the stomach?
-The end product of mechanical and chemical
digestion in the stomach is a semi-liquid
mixture called chyme.
-Chyme is a combination of partially digested
food, gastric juices, and stomach acids.
-It is the result of the mechanical churning and
mixing of food with gastric juices, as well as the
partial breakdown of proteins by the enzyme
pepsin.
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SMALL
INTESTINE
Absorbs nutrients from the food
with the help of digestive juices
from other organs
Explain the process of absorption and
assimilation in small intestine
1. What happens to the chyme as it
enters the small intestine?
-The small intestine is a key site
for digestion and absorption,
where chyme is further processed
to extract nutrients that are
essential for the body's functions.
[Link] are villi important in the absorption
process in the small intestine?
-Villi are crucial for the absorption
process in the small intestine because
they increase the surface area available
for absorption, house specialized cells
for nutrient absorption, and facilitate
the efficient uptake of nutrients into the
bloodstream.
3. How do absorption and assimilation
happen in the small intestine?
-Absorption and assimilation in
the small intestine ensure that the
body can efficiently extract
nutrients from digested food and
utilize them for essential biological
functions.
Small intestine is an organ that breaks
down food further into substances, such as
glucose, that can be absorbed by the
villi.
-It has three parts namely the duodenum,
the jejunum, and ileum.
-The duodenum is the first and shortest
part of the small intestine that starts at the
lower end of the stomach and extends for
about 20 cm to 25 cm in length.
-
Small Intestine: Nutrient
Absorption Central

1
Duodenum
Initial digestion. Receives
enzymes from pancreas and
bile from the liver.
2 Jejunum
Main site for nutrient
absorption. Specialized cells
increase surface area
.

3 Ileum
Absorbs vitamin B12 and bile
acids. Connects to the large
intestine.
ABSORPTION
• Absorption is the third process that happens in the
digestive system.
• It occurs mostly in the small intestine where several
digestive juices, pancreatic juice, and bile aid in the
chemical digestion of food.
• Absorption is the process of passing the soluble food
molecules in the wall of the small intestine through the villi
– the tiny, finger-like projections from the epithelial lining of
the intestinal wall.
• Each villus contains blood capillaries that enable it to
absorb water, glucose, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and
fatty acids. It also increases the amount of surface area
available for the absorption of nutrients.
 Three
Accessory
Organs
 Accessory Organs and Glands
Three organs that are part of the
digestive system and helps in
secretion of essential substances.
• Liver
• Pancreas
Pancreas
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LIVER

Produces bile to help break down

fats.
Liver & Gallbladder: Bile
Production & Storage
Liver
The liver produces bile..
Bile emulsifies fats. This aids
digestion.
Gallbladder
The gallbladder stores bile.
It releases bile when needed.
Aids fat absorption.
A small pear-shaped sac that can
 Accessory Organs and Glands
Three organs that are part of the
digestive system and helps in
secretion of essential substances.
• Liver produces bile, a green fluid that
turns large fat droplets into smaller
ones and stores them in the gall
bladder. The liver is the biggest organ
inside the body with a mass of about
two kilograms.
What is the role of the bile produced by the
liver and stored in the gallbladder until
needed?
- Bile plays a critical role in the
digestion and absorption of fats by
emulsifying them and creating an
optimal environment for the action of
digestive enzymes in the small
intestine.
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GALLBLADDER
The gallbladder is a small, pear-
shaped organ located beneath the
liver. Its primary role in the digestive
system is to store and concentrate
bile produced by the liver.
Gallbladder: Bile
Storage
Gallbladder
The gallbladder stores bile.
It releases bile when needed.
Aids fat absorption.
A small pear-shaped sac that can
hold about 50ml of bile.
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PANCREAS
Produces digestive enzymes that
help break down all types of food
Pancreas: Enzyme
Powerhouse

Enzyme Production
The pancreas produces enzymes. These
enzymes break down fats, proteins, and
carbohydrates.
Hormone Regulation
Insulin regulates blood sugar. Glucagon
raises blood sugar. Maintaining balance.
Secretion
Enzymes are secreted into the
duodenum. Aiding digestion. Essential
for nutrient breakdown.
 Accessory Organs and Glands
Three organs that are part of the digestive system and
helps in secretion of essential substances.
Pancreas makes three different kinds of enzymes
namely amylase, peptidase, and lipase released
through a pancreatic duct that aid in the digestion of all
three organic compounds such as carbohydrates,
proteins, and fats respectively.
It secrets hormone insulin, which plays an important role
in the control of the blood sugar level.
Pancreas is a small organ found below the stomach.
The pancreas secretes enzymes. These enzymes break down
carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. It also regulates blood sugar.
• Carbohydrates are broken down into sugars by
enzymes like amylase, maltase and lactase.
• Proteins are broken down into amino acids by
enzymes like trypsin and peptidase.
• Fats are broken down into fatty acids by the
enzyme lipase.
• The jejunum is the second part of the small
intestine that is 2.5 cm in length.
• Its wall works for absorption through enterocytes or
columnar cells of small nutrient particles which have
been previously digested by the enzymes in the
duodenum.
 Liver- produces bile

Gall bladder- stores bile

Pancreas- Produces

Enzymes
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LARGE
INTESTINE
The colon, or large intestine, is a 5- to
7-feet-long muscular tube linking your
small intestine to your rectum.
Absorbs water and forms solid waste
ASSIMILATION
• Assimilation is the fourth process that occurs in the
digestive system.
• It is the movement of digested food nutrients into the blood
vessels of the small intestine through diffusion and use of
nutrients into the body `cells through the microvilli.
• Large intestine is divided into caecum, ascending colon,
transverse colon, descending colon, and sigmoid colon.
• This is where reabsorption of liquid, electrolytes and some
vitamins from the undigested food takes place.
• It secretes mucus to aid in the formation of feces and
maintains alkaline conditions.
• This is the last segment of the gastrointestinal tract that
completes absorption and compacts waste.
Large Intestine: Water
Absorption & Waste
Management
1 Water Absorption
Water is absorbed back into the body.
This concentrates waste material.
Prevents dehydration.
2 Gut Microbiome
Bacteria ferment undigested material.
They produce vitamins. Maintain gut
health.
3 Waste Elimination
Feces are stored in the rectum. They
are then eliminated through the anus.
Completing the digestive process.
• Explain the process of absorption in the
large intestine and egestion process.
1. What is the role of the large intestine in the
absorption process?
- The main absorption of nutrients occurs
in the small intestine, the large intestine
plays a significant role in the absorption of
water, electrolytes, and certain vitamins,
as well as in the fermentation of fiber.
2. What is the solid waste matter remained when most
of the water has been removed from the undigested
material?
-The solid waste matter that remains after most
of the water has been removed from the
undigested material is called feces or stool.
Feces consist of undigested food residues,
bacteria, bile pigments, and other waste
products that were not absorbed in the small and
large intestines. Feces are stored in the rectum
until they are eliminated from the body during a
bowel movement.
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RECTUM AND
ANUS
The rectum connects the large
intestine to the anus. It acts as a
reservoir where stool accumulates
before being ready for elimination.

The anus marks the exit point for

food waste.
EGESTION
• Egestion is the last process that
occurs in the digestive system.
• It is the release of undigested food
collected in the rectum called feces
and pushed out of the body through
the anus by defecation.
3. How does egestion process take place?
-Egestion helps to remove waste materials
from the body, maintaining a healthy
digestive system.
4. What is the importance of the egestion process?
-Egestion removes undigested food
residues, bacteria, and other waste products
from the body that cannot be used for
energy or other metabolic processes.
Key Digestive Processes

Ingestion
1
Eating food

Digestion
2
Breaking down food

Absorption
3
Taking up nutrients

Assimilation
4
Using the products of digestion

Egestion
5
Removing undigested material

Understanding these processes enhances overall comprehension. This knowledge promotes healthy habits.
 THE ROLE OF THE
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
The role of the digestive system is to break down
food into tiny particles, which are more easily
digested and absorbed into the blood. Food
provides us with nutrients required for bodily
health, growth and repair. The digestive system
also enables the body to release food that cannot
be digested in the form of feces (poo).
[Link]: The process begins with the intake of food through the mouth.
[Link] Digestion in the Mouth: Food is chewed and mixed with saliva, which contains enzymes
that begin the breakdown of carbohydrates.
[Link] Digestion in the Mouth: Salivary amylase in saliva starts breaking down starches into
smaller sugars.
[Link]: The tongue pushes the chewed food (bolus) to the back of the mouth and into the
esophagus through swallowing.
[Link] in the Esophagus: The bolus moves down the esophagus through rhythmic muscular
contractions called peristalsis.
[Link] into the Stomach: The bolus enters the stomach through the lower esophageal sphincter.
[Link] Digestion in the Stomach: In the stomach, the bolus mixes with gastric juices and
undergoes churning and mixing to form chyme.
[Link] Digestion in the Stomach: Hydrochloric acid and pepsin in gastric juices break down
proteins into smaller peptides.
[Link] into the Small Intestine: Chyme is released into the small intestine through the pyloric
sphincter.
Neutralization and Enzymatic Action in the Small Intestine: Bile from the liver and pancreatic
10.
enzymes neutralize the acidic chyme and continue the digestion of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
Absorption in the Small Intestine: Nutrients (sugars, amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals) are
11.
absorbed through the walls of the small intestine into the bloodstream.
Passage through the Large Intestine: Any remaining indigestible material moves into the large
12.
intestine, where water and electrolytes are absorbed.
Formation of Feces: The remaining waste material is formed into feces in the large intestine.
13.
Storage in the Rectum: Feces are stored in the rectum until they are ready to be eliminated.
14.
Elimination: Feces are eliminated from the body through the anus in a bowel movement.
15.