Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
7 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
Mouth
|
Foodstuffs are broken down mechanically by chewing and saliva is added as a lubricant. In some species, saliva contains amylase, an enzyme that digests starch.
|
|
|
Esophagus
|
A simple conduit between the mouth and stomach - clearly important but only marginally interesting compared to other regions of the tube.
|
|
|
Stomach
|
Where the real action begins - enzymatic digestion of proteins (pepsin) initiated (HCI) and foodstuffs reduced to liquid form.
|
|
|
Liver
|
The center of metabolic activity in the body - its major role in the digestive process is to provide bile salts to the small intestine, which are critical for digestion and absorption of fats.
|
|
|
Pancreas
|
Important roles as both an endocrine and exocrine organ - provides a potent mixture of digestive enzymes (pancreatic fluid) to the small intestine which are critical for digestion of fats, carbohydrates, and protein.
|
|
|
Small Intestine
|
The most exciting place to be in the entire digestive system - this is where the final stages of chemical enzymatic digestion occur and where almost all nutrients are absorbed.
|
|
|
Large Intestine
|
Major differences among species in extent and importance - in all animals, water is absorbed, bacterial fermentation takes place and feces are formed. In carnivores, that's about the extent of it, but in herbivores like the horse, the large intestine is huge and of critical importance for utilization of cellulose.
|
