The Digestive System

Introduction

The digestive tract and accessory organs perform the following functions:

Ingestion

Mechanical processing

Digestion

Secretion

Absorption

Excretion

Compaction

Overview of the Digestive System

Histology

Mucosa: plica circularis

Epithelial layer

Microvilli

Connective tissue: lamina propria

Blood, nerves, lymph vessels & nodes (MALT)

Muscularis mucosae

Submucosa

Areolar tissue

Exocrine glands

Submucosal plexus

Histology

Muscularis externa

Circular: inner

Longitudinal: outer

Myenteric Plexus: autonomic system

Serosa – Stomach and intestines

Adventitia- Oral cavity, pharynx and esophagus

Histology of the Digestive Tract

Smooth muscle contractions

Peristalsis

Peristaltic wave

Mass peristalsis

Segmentation

Movement of Digestive Materials

Serous Membranes

Visceral peritoneum

Parietal peritoneum

Mesenteries

Greater omentum (lace apron)

Lesser omentum

Mesentery proper

Mesecolon

Transverse

Sigmoid

Serous Membranes

Intraperitoneal

Retroperitoneal

Kidneys, ureters and aorta

Secondarily retroperitoneal

Duodenum, pancreas, colon and rectum

The Peritoneum

Anatomy of the Oral Cavity

Oral Cavity

Tongue

Root, Body Tip

Papillae

Vallate, fungiform and filliform

Lingual frenulum

Lips

Superior and inferior labial frenulum

Ducts of Salivary glands – parotid, sublingual and submandibular

Palatoglossal and palatopharyngeal arches

Palatine tonsil

Pharynx

See respiratory system notes

Swallowing reflex

The Salivary Glands

The Teeth

Teeth Types

Incisors

Cuspids (canines)

Bicuspids (premolars)

Tricuspids (molars)

The Teeth

Teeth Structure

Crown

Enamel, dentin, pulp

Neck

Root

Cementum, dentin, pulp

Apical foramen & root canal

Associate Gingiva (gingival sulcus)

Associate peridontal ligament

The Esophagus

Esophagus

Adventitia

Stratified squamous epithelium

Muscularis starts as skeletal but is all smooth muscle at stomach

Ends at cardiac orifice

The Stomach

Stomach

Cardiac, body, pylorus

Greater and lesser curvatures

Rugae

Pyloric sphincter

Three layers in muscularis

Lesser omentum

Greater omentum

The Stomach

The Stomach: Histology

The Small Intestine

Small Intestine

Duodenum (4cm), jejunum (2.5m)and ileum (3.5m)

Ileocecal valve

Mesentery proper

Duodenal ampulla, duodenal papilla

Duodenal glands

Its all about surface area!

Plicae circularis

Villi: capillaries and lacteals

Microvilli

Histology of the Small Intestine

The Large Intestine

Large Intestine

Cecum – vermiform appendix

Ascending colon to hepatic or right flexure

Transverse colon – gastrocolic ligament

Splenic or left colic flexture

Descending colon

Sigmoid colon

Rectum

Anal canals and columns to anus

Internal and external anal sphincters

Columnar becomes stratified squamous epithelium

Associated Structures – Haustra, taenia coli and epiploic appendages

Histology of the Large Intestine

The Liver

Liver

Largest exocrine gland

Filters blood: fenestrated capillaries (sinusoids)

Nutrients, pathogens, toxins, worn out rbc’s

Synthesis of plasma proteins and bile

Right, left, caudate and quadrate lobes

Coronary, falciform and round ligament

Liver lobule – hepatic vein

Hepatocytes and kupffer cells

Hepatic triad – hepatic portal vein, hepatic artery and bile duct

Right, left and common hepatic duct

The Liver Lobule

Gall Bladder

Stores 40-70 milliliters of bile

Cystic duct fuses with common hepatic to form common bile duct

Hepatopancreatic sphincter

Cholecystokinin causes sphincter to relax and gall bladder to contract

The Gallbladder

Pancreas

As an exocrine gland

Pancreatic acini

Produces digestive lipases, carbohydrases, proteinases, nucleases

Secondarily retroperotineal

Head, body and tail

Pancreatic duct fuses with common bile duct at duodenal ampulla

The Pancreas

 

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