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Digestion
MCAT
51
Other
Not Applicable
03/10/2005

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Term
Intracellular digestion
Definition
Within the cell; usually in membrane-bound vesicles.
Term
Extracellular digestion
Definition
Digestive process outside of the cell, within a lumen or tract.
Term
Alimentary canal
Definition
Mammals have a one-way digestive tract.
Term
Epithelium
Definition
Surfaces of body structures (skin, lungs, linings of nose, mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestines. Cels act as a barrier against mechanical injury, invading organisms, fluid loss. Free surface ay be ciliated. Connected to underlying connective tissue.
Term
Basement membrane
Definition
Attaches inner surface of epithelium to connective tissue.
Term
Simple epithelium
Definition
Type of epithelium containing a single layer of cells.
Term
Stratified epithelium
Definition
Type of epithelium containing multiple layers of cells.
Term
Pseudostratified epithelium
Definition
Type of epithelium: single-layered but appears stratified becasue tis cells vary in height.
Term
Three types of cell shape in epithelium
Definition
Cuboidal
Columnar
Squamous (scale-link)
Term
Mucous membrane/mucosa
Definition
specialized epithelium that lines (most) body cavities.
Term
Digestion in the oral cavity
Definition
Mechanical and chemical digestion of food.
Term
Mechanical digestion
Definition
Breakdown of large food particles into smaller particles through biting, chewing action of teeth allowing for an increase in surface area, allowing for more efficient enzymatic action.
Term
Chemical digestion
Definition
Chemical breakdown of macromolecules into smaller molecules. Begins in the mouth when the salivary glands secrete saliva, which lubricates food to facilitate swallowing.
Term
Salivary amylase (pytalin)
Definition
Enzyme in saliva which hydrolyzes (some of the) starch into simple sugars.
Term
Bolus
Definition
Tongue rolls the food into this ball, pushes into the pharynx.
Term
Pharynx
Definition
Cavity that leads food from mouth into esophagus. Functions in respiration as passageway through which air enters the trachea.
Term
Epiglottis
Definition
Flap covering trachea which closes during swallowing, preventing food particles gowing down the wrong passageway.
Term
Esophagus
Definition
Muscular tube leading from the pharynx to the stomach. Moved via peristalsis.
Term
Lower esophageal sphincter/cardiac sphincter
Definition
Specialized ring of muscle between esophagus and stomach, allowing food to enter the stomach and prevents regurgitation.
Term
Stomach
Definition
Stores and partially digests food. Lined with grastric mucosa.
Term
Gastric glands
Definition
Within the gastric mucosa. Stimulated by nervous impulses from the brain whcih responds to food senses. Composed of secretory cells: mucous cells, chief cells, parietal cells.
Term
mucous cells
Definition
Secrete mucus which protects the stomach lining from acidic juices.
Term
Gastric juice
Definition
Composed of secretions of the chief cells and parietal cells.
Term
Chief cells
Definition
Secrete pepsinogen, the zymogen of the protein-hydrolyzing enzyme pepsin.
Term
Parietal cells
Definition
Secrete HCl which kills bacteria, dissolves the intercellular glue holding tissues together, and facilitates the conversion of pepsinogen to pepsin.
Term
Pyloric glands
Definition
Secrete hormone gastrin in response to presence of certain substances in food.
Term
Gastrin
Definition
Stimulates the gastric glands to secrete more HCl, stimulates muscular contractions of the stomach, which churns food, producing an acidic, semi-fluid mixture: chyme.
Term
Pyloric sphincter
Definition
muscle at the junction of stomach and the small intestine which regulates the passage of chyme into the small intestine via alaternating contractions and relaxations.
Term
Small Intestine
Definition
Chemical digestion occurs here, divided into three sections: duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. 6m in length, highly coiled. Villi extend out of the intestinal submucosa and microvili project from surface of individual cells. Total SA=300m2
Term
Duodenum
Definition
Most digestion in sm. intestine occurs in this region. Secretions of intestinal glands, pancrease, liver, gall bladder mix with the chyme, which triggers hormonal release to stimulate these secretions.
Term
Maltase, lactase, sucrase, peptidases
Definition
Enzymes secreted by the intestinal mucosa that hydrolyze carbohydrates and proteins.
Term
Secretin
Definition
Hromone released by duodenum, stimulating the pancreas to secrete pancreatic juice.
Term
Pancreatic juice
Definition
Alkaline fluid that helps neutralize chyme, and contains enzymes that digest carbs, proteins, and lipids.
Term
Trypsinogen, Chymotrypsinogen.
Definition
Proteolytic zymogen secreted by pancrease; converted to active form, trypsin by enterokinase (via intestinal glands).
Trypsin converts chymotrypsinogen to chymotrypsin.
Both cleave proteins into polypeptides.
Term
Carboxypeptidase, aminopeptidase
Definition
Secreted by pancreas (activated by trypsin), and intestinal glands (respectively) which digest polypeptides into amino acids.
Term
CCK (cholecystokinin)
Definition
Secreted into the boodstream by duodenum in response to chyme. Stimulate ssecretion of pancreatic enzymes and bile.
Term
Bile
Definition
alkaline fluid synthesized and secreted by the liver, stored in the gall bladder, released into duodenum. Composed of bile salts, pigments, and cholesterol.
Term
Emulsification of fats
Definition
Bile salts are h20 soluble on one side and fat soluble on another, allowing for the emulsification of fat globules and to maintain them in micelles. Exposes more of the lipids' surface area to lipases.
Term
Lipases
Definition
Hydrolyze molecules of fat into glycerol and fatty acids.
Term
Enterogastrone
Definition
Released if the chyme is particularly fatty, which inhibits peristalsis, slowding down release of chyme into the sm. intestine.
Term
Parasympathetic nervous system and sympathetic nervous system in digestion
Definition
PNS stimulates digestive processes.
SNS inhibits digestive processes.
Term
Absorption
Definition
Majority of absorption occurs across walls of jejunum and ileum . Monosacc's are absorbed into epithelial cells lining villi. Amino acids are absorbed into epithelium via active transport. Others diffuse directly into intestinal capillaries and enter portal circulation via hepatic portal vein.
Term
Chylomicrons
Definition
Triglycerides (fatty acids & glycerol), phosphoglycerides, cholesterol packages. Secreted into tiny lymph vessels within the villi called lacteals, where they are then processed in the bloodstream and delivered to the liver. Further repackaging allows their release into bloodstream as LDLs, VLDLs, HDLs.
Term
Lacteals
Definition
Tiny lymph vessels within the villi which lead to the lymphatic system. Chylomicrons are secreted into these.
Term
Vitamin absorption
Definition
Occurs in small intestine. Absorbed into circulatory system.
Term
Large intestine
Definition
1.5m long, three parts: cecum, colon, rectum.
Term
Cecum
Definition
Blind outpocketing at the junction of the sm. and large intestines. Tip of cecum is the appendix.
Term
Appendix
Definition
Vestigial structure containing lymphoid tissue that is often removed if becomes infected.
Term
Colon
Definition
Functions in absorption of salts and the absorption of any water leftover.
Term
Recturn
Definition
Stores feces which consists of bacteria, water, undigested food, and unabsorbed digestive secretions.
Term
anus
Definition
opening through which wastes are eliminated. Separated from rectum by two sphincters that regulate elimination.
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