DIGESTION ELL
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25 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 teeth | structures that crush and grind food mechanically into smaller bits |
| tongue | a muscle in the mouth that mashes food into a soft ball called a bolus |
| epiglottis | a flap of cartilage that covers the windpipe while swallowing |
| saliva | a clear liquid secreted into the mouth by the salivary glands and mucous glands of the mouth |
| salivary amylase | enzyme in saliva that starts chemical digestion of starch in the mouth |
| bolus | A term used to describe food after it has been chewed and mixed with saliva |
| esophagus | a muscular tube between the pharynx and the stomach |
| peristalsis | the process of wave-like contraction of the muscles of the digestivetract that moves food along automatically |
| mechanical digestion | Part of digestion that uses movement and muscles as well as the slicing and grinding of teeth to break down food |
| stomach | large muscular sac that continues the mechanical and chemical digestion of food. Secretes HCl that begins the breakdown of protein |
| peptidase | an enzyme that breaks down peptides and proteins into amino acids for later absorbtion into the blood |
| lipase | Pancreatic enzyme that breaks down lipids for absorbtion into the blood |
| chemical digestion | the digestion process where enzymes are used to break foods into their smaller chemical buiding blocks |
| pancreas | a digestive gland behind the stomach that secretes digestive enzymes into the duodenum |
| gall bladder | An organ that stores bile and releases it as need into the small intestine to aid in digestion of lipids |
| liver | organ that makes bile to break down fats; also filters poisons and drugs out of the blood |
| small intestine | long tube that is responsible for most chemical digestion and absorption of nutrients |
| villi | finger-like projections that increase the surface area and increase absorption in the small intestine |
| micro villi | Fine, thread-like extensions of each villus that further increase the surface area for absorption of nutrients |
| large intestine | larger tubular structure where water is reabsorbed and feces are formed. Bacteria here produce vitamins for blood clotting |
| rectum | The last part of the digestive tract, through which feces are eliminated |
| anus | a muscular opening at the end of the rectum |
| pancreatic amylase | Enzyme that breaks down starch into disaccharides (Maltose, Lactose, Sucrose) |
| absorbtion | The process by which nutrient molecules pass through the cell membranes of the digestive system into the blood |
| secretion | the process of synthesizing and releasing some substance such as an enzyme or mucus |
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