How does the structure at each point along the GI tract pathway enable its digestive functions?...

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Medical Sciences

How does the structure at each point along the GI tract pathwayenable its digestive functions? Think of this from the perspectiveof type of tissue and other structural adaptations to facilitatefunction.

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The major parts of the digestive system Salivary glands Pharynx Esophagus Stomach Small Intestine Large Intestine Accessory digestive organs liver gallbladder pancreas The major layers of the gastrointestinal tract Mucosa inner layer lines the gastrointestinal tract simple columnar epithelilium Submucosa blood vessels glands nerve plexuses Meissners plexus Muscularis peristalsis nerve plexus Myenteric plexus Serosa Outer layer of connective tissue Functions of the GI system Motility movement through the GI tract Digestion breakdown of food or chyme Secretion and absorption across and epithelial layer either into the GI tract secretion or into blood absorption Storage and elimination Esophagus and Stomach Esophagus From pharynx to stomach Salivary glands release mucus for lubrication antimicrobial agents and amylase to digest starch epiglottis covers respiratory tract during swallowing At end of esophagus is the lower esophageal sphincter LES Propulsion of food occurs through peristalsis contraction occurs behind the bolus of food and relaxation occurs ahead of the bolus of food Stomach Functions store food initiate digestion of proteins kill bacteria with the strong acidity low pH of the gastric juice make chyme Parts of the stomach Fundus body pyloric region pyloric sphincter Material passed from the stomach to the small intestine is called the chyme The gastric glands of the stomach contain several types of cells Cell Type Secretions Parietal cells HCl intrinsic factor Chief cells pepsinogen Goblet cells mucus Enterochromaffinlike ECL cells histamineserotonin D cells Somatostatin G cells Gastrin pH of gastric juice is 2 The low pH of gastric juice denatures ingested proteins optimum pH for pepsin activity is 20 at pH 20 weak pepsinogen enzymes digest each other to form pepsin The stomach digests only proteins but not fats and carbohydrates There is basically no absoprtion in the stomach Acid See Answer

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