Structure & Function of the Digestive System

The digestive system is made up of a series of organs that are responsible for breaking down food in the body. These organs work with others in the body such as the gallbladder, which helps with digestive processes.

Esophagus

Food needs to pass through the esophagus, which connects the throat and stomach, before moving to the stomach. For this to occur, a muscle in the esophagus needs to relax and let food pass through to the stomach.

Stomach

The stomach stores food and liquids such as water. It also breaks food down into smaller pieces by combining it with enzymes and acids.

Small Intestine

The small intestine turns sugars and starches into simple sugars, fatty foods into fatty acids and proteins into amino acids. It uses bile from the liver and enzymes from the pancreas in the digestive processes. The small intestine contains folds called villi that help the body in the absorption of nutrients.

Large Intestine

The main function of the large intestine is to break down undigested food so it can be removed from the body. The large intestine also sends undigested materials to the rectum and creates vitamin K, which is used in blood-clotting processes.

Other Structures

The salivary glands create saliva, which softens food so it can be digested. The liver collects vitamins, proteins and sugars from the small intestine, then stores and distributes them. Hormones and nerves control the production of enzymes and the movement of food during digestion, respectively.

References

• Digestive System
• Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia, "Digestive System," 2006.
• Your Digestive System and How It Works

Resources

• Digestive System
• D.R. Johnson, "Introductory Anatomy: Digestive System"
• Digestive System