Chapter Eleven: Digestive System 267

OVERVIEW OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM both the mouth and nasal cavity. The oropharynx leads to the
esophagus which is a muscular tube that takes ingested material to the
The digestive system is composed of a long tube called the alimentary stomach. The stomach is a storage organ leading to the small intestine
canal and the accessory organs including the liver, pancreas, and gall where material is digested and absorbed. The large intestine receives
bladder. The alimentary canal starts at the mouth, includes the material from the small intestine, removes a significant amount of water,
esophagus, stomach, intestines, and rectum and terminates at the anus. and stores the fecal material prior to defecation.
It can be defined as the tube through which ingested products move. The
accessory organs have digestive functions but they do not come into The salivary glands are the most superior accessory glands. They
contact with material passing through the digestive tract. The alimentary lubricate food and add digestive enzymes to material that is swallowed.
canal consists of numerous organs including the mouth which is the The liver, pancreas and gall bladder all add secretions to the ingested
opening to the system and is directly anterior to the oral cavity. The material and aid in the digestive process. Label the parts of the digestive
terminal aspect of the oral cavity is defined by the small mass of fleshy system, including the alimentary canal and the accessory organs, and
tissue called the uvula. Posterior to the oral cavity is the oropharynx. color the individual digestive organs a different color.
This chamber receives food and liquid from the mouth and air from

a. _

h. _
b. _

c. _
1.

d. _

J.
e.-------

f. _

1. _

m.--------

Answer Key: a. Alimentary canal. b. Mouth, c. Esophagus, d. Stomach, e. Small Intestine, f. Large intestine, g. Accessory organs, h. Salivary glands, i. Liver, J. Pancreas,
k. Gall bladder, I. Rectum, m. Anus
 Chapter Eleven \ IAPLAlf - I 269
Digestive System meil lea

MOUTH AND ORAL

CAVITY
The mouth is the entrance to the
digestive system. It is bordered by
the two labia or lips. Each labium
has a labial frenulum (superior and
inferior) that holds the lip to the
gingiva. The gingiva (gums) have a ';7;-;77777777c-''-=-::+~-- C. _
surface tissue of stratified squamous
epithelium which is the cell type that
lines the entire oral cavity. The oral d. _
cavity encloses the teeth, and the
tongue. It is bordered by the hard
palate, the soft palate, the uvula, the
cheek walls, the muscles and
associated tissue that spans across
the bodies of the mandible. The oral
cavity leads to the oropharynx,
which in turn leads to the
esophagus. g._----
The tongue is a large muscle in the
oral cavity that pushes food to the h. _
posterior part of the oral cavity for
swallowing and helps form speech. It
is held to the floor of the oral cavity
by the lingual frenulum.

g._----

Answer Key: a. Superior labial

frenulum, b. Gingiva, c. Hard palate,
d. Softpalate, e. Uvula, f. Oropharynx,
g.Tongue, h. Inferior labial frenulum,
i. Esophagus
 Chapter Eleven I IlAPLAlI"d- I 271
Digestive System me lea

SALIVARY GLANDS inferior to the mandible and they take secretions to either side of the
lingual frenulum. The sublingual glands are inferior to the tongue and
The three pair of salivary glands secrete saliva inside the oral cavity. The have many tubes that lead to the lower oral cavity. Label the salivary
largest pair consists of the parotid glands and they are located just glands and the parotid duct. Color each gland a different color.
anterior to the ears. The parotid duct leads from the gland to posterior
to the upper second molar. The submandibular glands are located

Tongue
Buccinator muscle c. - - - - - _

Mandible

Mylohyoid muscle
a. - - - - - - - - - - -

Answer Key: a. Sublingual gland, b. Submandibulargland, c. Parotid gland, d. Parotid dud

 Chapter Eleven
Digestive System I mettical 273

TEETH
The tooth has three general regions:
the crown, the neck, and the root. The
crown is the part of the tooth that
erupts from the gums into the oral
a.----
cavity. The neck is normally at the
levelof the gingiva and the root is
l\ .• .• : .
.

imbedded into the bone. The tooth

~.id~:
fits into the alveolar socket of the
maxilla or the mandible and is held .. ·
there by the periodontal ligaments. ,':" '0
.:J~ ('~

The internal anatomy of the tooth b.~--

reveals the hard enamel which is an
extremely dense material that resists
wear and abrasion. Deep to this is
the dentin, a material similar to
bone that provides the major
structure of the tooth. In the root,
the dentin is coated with cementum
that helps fix the tooth in the
alveolar socket. Inside of the dentin
c. _ h. _
is the pulp cavity that houses nerves
and blood vessels. These structures
enter the tooth by the apical
foramen and make their way to the
pulp cavity by the root canal.
Humans have two series of teeth.
Early in development come the
deciduous (milk) teeth. The
permanent teeth emerge as the skull
is increasing in size. In deciduous
teeth there are incisors, cuspids
(canines), and molar teeth but there
are no premolars. In adults there are
the incisor teeth, the cuspids,
k.
premolars (bicuspids), and molar
teeth. Label the parts of the tooth
and then color in the regions of the
tooth on one side of the illustration
and the enamel, dentin, and other
features on the other part of the
illustration. For the deciduous and
permanent teeth, use the same color
for the incisors on both illustrations.
Use another color for the cuspids

-~~.
and another for the premolars, and
so on for the rest of the teeth.

~CJ"-/ ~U
------\I~ Deciduous
Permanent
maxillary .: m::;~~'Y
teeth

Answer Key: a. Crown, b. Neck, c. Root,

d. Enamel, e. Dentin, f. Pulp cavity,
g. Periodontal ligament, h. Root canal,
i. Cementum, J. Apical foramen,
k. Blood vessels and nerves, I. Incisors,
m. Cuspids (canines), n. Premolars
(bic.ispids), o. Molars
 Chapter Eleven I KAPLAlf - I 275
Digestive System me dlea

ESOPHAGUS
Food moves from the oral cavity to \
~•. ~~:'Uc<imtoc muscle
the oropharynx by action of the
tongue. The uvula flips upward
keeping the food from entering the
nasal cavity. Food passes from the
oropharynx into the laryngopharynx ~ t~·····.·::·\ 1/1
\'-..... ········~e-----
before moving to the esophagus. The a. _
food enters the esophagus as a lump . '''c-~-7/ \ .
or bolus and passes through the
esophageal sphincter to the stom-
ach. Once it enters the stomach the
bolus mixes with stomach fluid and
becomes a liquid called chyme. Label
and color the structures leading to
- - - '\\f---~
the esophagus and the esophagus I Cricoid cartilage
itself including the esophageal I
sphincter.

\\ c . - -_ _

f. _

Open Closed

g._-------
Answer Key: a.Oropharynx,
b. Laryngopharynx, c. Esophagus,
d. Uvula, e. Oral caVity, f. Stomach,
g. Esophageal sphincter
 Chapter Eleven
Digestive System I meclical 277

STOMACH The stomach has many layers. The inner layer is called the mucosa which
is rich in glands that secrete acids and inactive enzymes such as
The stomach is located on the left side of the body, just inferior to the pepsinogen into the stomach cavity. Pepsinogen is activated by
diaphragm. It is the part of the alimentary canal located between the hydrochloric acid. The mucosa has gastric pits with parietal cells and
esophagus and the small intestine. The stomach has an upper cardia and chief cells emptying into the pits. The parietal cells secrete hydrochloric
a small domed portion called the fundus. The stomach contents are acid and the chief cells secrete pepsinogen. External to the mucosa is the
restricted from flowing back into the esophagus by the esophageal submucosa and this layer has many blood vessels imbedded in
sphincter. If stomach fluid refluxes into the esophagus, it is felt as connective tissue. Beyond this is the muscularis. In the stomach there
"heartburn." are three layers of the muscularis. These are the oblique layer, circular
layer, and longitudinal layer. The most external layer is the serosa (also
The main portion of the stomach is the body and the narrow region,
known as the visceral peritoneum) and this is next to the abdominal
leading to the duodenum is the antrum or pyloric region. This leads to
cavity. Label the parts of the stomach and color them in. Color the layers
the pyloric canal which is controlled by the pyloric sphincter. The
of the muscularis using different colors of red or pink for each layer.
greater curvature is located on the left edge of the stomach and the
Color the general regions of the stomach different colors along with the
lesser curvature is on the right side. The stomach has inner ridges called
separate sphincters.
rugae which allow for expansion of the stomach.

a. _
b.-----_ Muscularis layers:
c.--------

1. _

m. _

p._---

q.----
f.
Muscularis e. _
layers { d. ~-==;::=:======S~~::'~-';c=
r. _ -t . -t •
n. _ 0.--- _

Answer Key: a. Fundus, b. Cardia, c. Lesser curvature, d. Longitudinal layer (of muscularis), e. Circular layer (of muscularis), f. Oblique layer (of muscularis), g. Body,
h. Rugae, i. Greatercurvature, J. Pyloriccanal, k. Pyloricsphincter, I. Antrum, m. Gastricpit, n. Chief cell, o. Parietal cell, p. Mucosa, q. Submucosa, r. Serosa
 Chapter Eleven
Digestive System I meilical 279

SMALL INTESTI NE
The small intestine receives the
contents of the stomach, continues
the process of digestion and absorbs a. b. _
nutrients. The first part of the small
intestine is the duodenum, a short
tube of about twelve inches in
length, that receives material from
the stomach, enzymes and buffers
from the pancreas, and bile from the
gall bladder. The duodenum has
circular folds in the wall that
increase the surface area. The
jejunum is the next section of the c. _
small intestine and it makes up
about forty percent of the small
intestine. There are circular folds in
the jejunum as well. The ileum is the
terminal portion of the small
intestine and represents about sixty
percent of the small intestine. The
small intestine is small in diameter
and that is how it gets its name.
The small intestine is distinguished
from the rest of the alimentary canal
by the presence of villi. These'small
structures in the mucosa increase the c. _
surface area of the small intestine
and house blood capillaries and
lacteals for the absorption of
nutrients. The small intestine has the
four layers typical of the other
organs of the gastrointestinal tract:
the mucosa, submucosa,
muscularis. and serosa. Label the
parts of the small intestine and color
in the various regions and layers of
the small intestine.

e.-----
(Lower tnree-nttns)

f. _

g.-----
....... ,. .',. "~-···-h. _
~ .
Answer Key: a, Gall bladder,
b. Pancreas, c. Duodenum, d Jejunum,
e. Ileum, f. Circular fold, g, Villi,
h. Submucosa, i Muscularis d. _ e.-----
 Chapter Eleven I KAPLAlf - I 281
Digestive System medlea

LARGE INTESTINE b. _
The large intestine is shorter than
the small intestine but has greater
width. The large intestine begins in
the lower right quadrant of the a. _
abdomen with a sac-like structure
called the cecum. The ileocecal valve
is a muscular sphincter that prevents
the fecal material in the cecum from
c. _
flowing back into the ileum. At this
junction is the vermiform
appendix. Material in the large
intestine moves from the cecum to
the ascending colon and then makes
a sharp turn at the hepatic flexure. 1.-- _
Once this turn is accomplished, the
material is in the transverse colon.
From here there is a sharp
downward angle called the splenic
flexure and the material enters the
descending colon. From the k. _
descending colon, the material
enters an S-shaped tube called the f. _
sigmoid colon and then enters the
rectum. The rectum is the end of the
large intestine. The rectum leads to J.----- g._----
the anal canal which is a short tube
leading to the anus.
There are several anatomical features
that separate the large intestine from
the small intestine. The large
intestine has long strips of smooth ~0 1. - - - - - - - - -
muscle that run the length of the
large intestine. These are called the
teniae coli. These muscles pull the
intestine into small compartments
called haustra. Another
distinguishing feature of the large
intestine is the presence of small fat
globules called epiploic appendages.
Label the parts of the large intestine
and color in each region with a
different color. Color the haustra
light red and the tenia coli pink.
Color the epiploic appendages
e. - - - - - - - - - - -
yellow.

Answer Key: a. Hepatic flexure,

n. _
b. Splenicflexure, c. Transverse colon,
d. Descendingcolon, e. Epiploic
appendages, f. Sigmoid colon,
g. Redum, h. Anal canal, i, Anus.
j. Vermiform appendix, k. Cecum,
I. Ascending colon, m. Tenia coli,
n. Haustra
 Chapter Eleven
Digestive System
I mKAPeLANd' -Ical
281

LIVER
The liver is the largest internal organ
of the body. It is on the right side of
the body and plays a major
metabolic function in digestion and
also in processing material from the
blood. The liver has four lobes in a. _
humans and is held to the
diaphragm by the falciform
ligament. The right lobe is the
largest of the lobes. The left lobe is
also reasonably large. The quadrate
lobe is anterior and is rectangular in
shape when seen from the inferior
view. The caudate lobe is a posterior
lobe of the liver.
The blood flows into the liver from
two sources. The hepatic portal vein
takes blood to the liver from the
digestive tract and some abdominal
organs. The hepatic artery brings
oxygenated blood to the liver. The
liver is composed of microscopic
sections called liver lobules. These
are typically hexagonal columns that
have a central vein that takes blood
back to the heart via the hepatic
vein. Blood travels to the central vein d. ----'.-
by sinusoids, canals that are lined by
hepatocytes (liver cells).
Hepatocytes clean the blood or
process material in the blood. Old
e. _
blood pigments are recycled by the
liver and are converted to bile. The
bile moves through bile canaliculi b. _
and eventually is stored in the gall
bladder. The branches of the hepatic
~\
artery, portal vein, and bile duct are
clustered together and form the
C. g. _
portal triad. Label the liver
structures on the illustrations. Color
in the lobes of the liver using
different colors for each lobe. Color
Liver Lobule
the hepatic portal vein blue, the
hepatic artery red, and the bile ducts
green.
~~~(
h. _ • •••••• -: : •••••••c::::::"~
........."' •• : .... ' ~Q
~: ..~[
1. _

~ .....
..
I~\
Answer Key: a. Right lobe, b. Left lobe,
c. Falciform ligament, d. Portal vein, J.------
e. Hepatic artery f. Caudate lobe, 1. _
g. Quadrate lobe, h. Portal triad,
i. Centralvein, j. Bile duct, k. Hepatic
artery branch, I. Bile canaliculus, k.
\ _
m. Portal vein branch, n. Hepatocytes,
o. Sinusoids
 Chapter Eleven I d'-Ical
KmAPeLAN 285
Digestive System

PANCREAS/
GALL BLADDER
The pancreas is a complex organ
that has both a digestive function
and an endocrine function. The
digestive function of the pancreas
consists of producing enzymes for
the digestion of materials in the
small intestine and the secretion of a. _
buffers to increase the pH of the
fluid secreted from the stomach. The b _
pancreas has a head, next to the
duodenum, a main body and a tail
near the spleen. The enzymes and
buffers secreted into the small
intestine flow into the pancreatic
duct before entering the small
intestine.
The gall bladder receives bile from
the liver, storing and condensing it
prior to secreting it into the small
intestine. Bile is an emulsifier of fats,
making them disperse in the liquid
chyme of the digestive tract. Bile c. _
flows from the left and right hepatic
ducts, into the common hepatic
duct, into the cystic duct then
entering the gall bladder. When the
gall bladder contracts, bile moves d. _
back out the cystic duct and into the
common bile duct before entering
the small intestine. Usually the
common bile duct and the
pancreatic duct join before they
enter the small intestine. In this case
the tube is called the
hepatopancreatic ampulla and it
leads to the duodenal papilla. Label
the parts of the pancreas, gall
bladder and ducts and color them in.

g._----- J.------
h. _

1. _
Answer Key: a. Gall bladder,
b. Pancreas, c. Duodenum, d. Head,
e. Body, f. Tail, g Right hepatic duct,
h Cystic duct, i. Duodenal papilla, j. Left
hepatic duct, k. Common hepatic duct,
I. Common bile duct, m. Pancreatic duct