To get energy for daily activities, humans need food. This food will undergo a process of digestion until the end result is in the form of nutrients. These nutrients are ready to be used in various types of body metabolic processes.
What is the anatomy and physiology of the digestive system like?
Digestive Tract
The digestive tract is all organs of the body that are directly related to the digestive process. These organs are located along the groove of the mouth to the anus. Its function is to digest food that was originally in the form of large molecules into ready-to-use food extracts, such as glucose, amino acids, and fatty acids.
The following are all organs of the human digestive tract:
1. Oral
Dental
Cavity The oral cavity is part of the digestive tract. This cavity is the first place to receive food. The first organ of the oral cavity that receives food is the teeth. Yes, teeth are the first digestive organs that process food. Its function is to cut and break down food mechanically from large to large enough to be swallowed.
Human teeth consist of incisors (incisors) for cutting food; canines (canines) as a rip or tear food; and molars (premolars) as a smoothing or chewing food.
Tongue
Another part of the oral cavity that plays an important role is the tongue. Yes, this one organ is an organ that plays a role in regulating the placement of food on the teeth. Not only that, the tongue acts as a food tasting organ so that humans have an appetite.
The part of the tongue that plays a role in tasting the taste of food is the papilla. This papilla is the formation of sensory nerves (receivers of stimuli).
In the oral cavity, there is also saliva produced by the salivary glands. Its function is to moisten food for easy chewing and swallowing. Saliva also contains the enzyme ptyalin which converts carbohydrates (complex sugars) into disaccharides (simple sugar molecules).
Other Parts of the Oral Cavity Other
parts of the oral cavity that are no less important include the pharynx, which is the base of the esophagus. This part functions in receiving food from the oral cavity and passing it into the esophagus.
2. Esophagus
The esophagus is the part of the digestive tract where food passes from the oral cavity to the stomach. In the esophagus, food will flow with the help of peristalsis from the esophageal muscles. Peristalsis is a movement like squeezing slowly with a sequence.
3. Stomach
The stomach is a digestive organ located in the upper left abdominal cavity. In the stomach, food is chemically digested using digestive enzymes (chemicals that have the function of breaking down complex food molecules into simpler ones).
Digestive enzymes in the stomach include the enzyme pepsin (digesting protein) and lipase (digesting fat). Not only enzymes, in the stomach there is gastric acid which has a low pH. The function of stomach acid is to kill germs or toxins that enter with food and to acidify food so that it is easily digested.
4. Small intestine
Food that has been digested by the stomach will enter the small intestine. The small intestine is a digestive organ that digests food chemically using enzymes.
The enzymes in the small intestine include amylase (carbohydrates or sugar → glucose); trypsin enzymes (protein → amino acids), and lipase enzymes (fat → fatty acids and glycerol).
The small intestine is divided into 3 parts, namely the duodenum (gut 12 fingers), jejunum, and ileum. Duodenum functions to digest chemically. The jejunum and ileum function as intestines to absorb nutrients from food.
The absorbed food juices will enter the blood vessels. The dregs or the rest of the absorption will flow into the large intestine. The movement that plays a role in food processing is also peristalsis.
5. Large Intestine
Remaining absorption of the small intestine will enter the large intestine. In this large intestine, the rest of the digestion will be reabsorbed the water content and salts it still contains so that the remains of this digestion will be solid.
In the large intestine, the remnants of digestion will undergo decay because in the large intestine there are many putrefactive bacteria, namely E. colli.
Digestive Glands
Digestive glands are body parts or organs that produce digestive enzymes as substances that play a role in chemical digestion. The types of digestive glands include the following.
1. Salivary
Glands The salivary glands are glands that produce saliva in the oral cavity. There are 3 kinds of salivary glands, the sublingual salivary glands (under the lower incisors), the submaxillary salivary glands (under the lower jaw), and the parotid salivary glands (under the ears).
In saliva, there is an enzyme ptyalin or amylase which functions to convert complex carbohydrates into simpler sugars.
2. Liver
In the digestive system, the liver is a gland that produces enzymes or fluids that play a role in the digestion of food. Enzymes or fluids produced by the liver, including the enzyme catalase which acts to neutralize toxins, such as alcohol, which is carried by food and bile which plays a role in emulsifying fats.
3. Pancreas
The pancreas is an organ that produces a lot of digestive enzymes. The pancreas is located in the duodenum. The enzymes produced by the pancreas are as follows:
- Amylase (carbohydrate → simple sugar).
- Trypsin (protein → amino acids).