Flowchart Science: The Human Body: The Digestive System

Product Information

A bowel movement is necessary for your body to expel stool from the large intestine. Very strong peristaltic contractions (the wave-like movements from earlier in the trip through the digestive tract) move stool toward the exit. This creates feelings of pressure in the region and eventually triggers the defecation reflex.

This article aims to give an overview of the anatomy and function of the digestive tract. Details regarding neurovascular supply, histology, and clinically significant points regarding each segment of the digestive tract can be found in the respective articles. It will also briefly mention a few elements of the abdominal examination. Following the buccal cavity, the food moves through the pharynx and into the oesophagus, a narrow tube responsible for transporting food to the stomach. The oesophagus then leads to the stomach, where the primary digestion occurs. From the stomach, the digested food progresses into the intestine, where nutrients are absorbed. The remaining undigested food then moves into the rectum and is eventually expelled through the cloaca. Gallbladder: Frogs have a gallbladder that stores bile produced by the liver until it is needed in the small intestine.Water Absorption: The large intestine or colon primarily absorbs water and some minerals from the remaining undigested food matter.

Stomach contractions continue until all the chyme from the previous meal has entered the small intestine. The oesophagus, a vital component of the digestive system, is characterized as a short, broad, muscular, and highly flexible tube. Its structure is specifically designed to facilitate the smooth passage of food from the mouth to the stomach. The inner surface of the oesophagus is lined with mucous epithelial tissue, which is folded in a longitudinal manner. These longitudinal foldings play a crucial role in the digestive process. When food passes through, these folds allow for the expansion of the oesophagus, ensuring that the food moves seamlessly without causing any damage or obstruction. The stomach is a storehouse as well as a digestive organ with little absorption. The cardia, fundus, body and pylorus are the four primary areas. Mucosa, submucosa, muscularis externa and serosa are the four layers of the stomach. The colon (large intestine) is a five- to seven -foot -long muscular tube that connects the small intestine to the rectum. It is made up of the cecum, the ascending (right) colon, the transverse (across) colon, the descending (left) colon and the sigmoid colon, which connects to the rectum. The appendix is a small tube attached to the ascending colon. The large intestine is a highly specialized organ that is responsible for processing waste so that defecation (excretion of waste) is easy and convenient.

The liver, a vital organ in the vertebrate body, plays a multifaceted role in various physiological processes. This article delves into the structure, histology, and functions of the liver, providing a comprehensive understanding of its significance in the body. Secretin and Pancreozymin: These hormones stimulate the pancreas to release pancreatic juices into the duodenum. Following the small intestine is the large intestine, which is shorter and wider. The large intestine’s primary role is to absorb water and electrolytes from the remaining indigestible food matter and to compact the waste into feces. Cells lining the stomach produce this highly acidic fluid, and the enzymes present commence the chemical breakdown of the protein component of the food. Eventually, the food is reduced to a creamy paste known as chyme.