Digestive System. Path taken by Food and Roles of the Various Organs

The Digestive System
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The Digestive System
The Path taken by Food and Roles of the Various Organs
Through the digestive system, the food ingested is broken down, nutrients absorbed, and the waste is eliminated through excretion. In the mouth, the saliva helps initiate the mechanical breakdown of the food through its enzymes. The food them passes through the esophagus, whose mucosa lining and muscles facilitate its movement of bolus. In the stomach, further chemical breakdown of the food occurs. It is facilitated by enzymes in the organ such as pepsinogen. The stomach also has gastric acid that facilitates further breakdown of the food. Through contraction of stomach muscles, the food moves into the duodenum. Here, the food is further broken down depending on the type. The pancreas releases enzymes that aid in the breakdown, depending on the type of food ingested (Logsdon & Ji, 2013). For example for the fats, lipase helps in the breakdown. For the food to be easily absorbed by the small intestines, the bile helps in further breakdown.
The small intestines facilitate the absorption of food, mainly due to the large surface area created by the villi (Williamson, 2013). Through osmosis, the nutrients move into the bloodstream. In addition to facilitating the absorption of food into the bloodstream, the organ plays a significant role in glucose homeostasis. Its receptive cells stimulate the release of hormones that regulate blood glucose, insulin and glucagon. The food that remains after the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream passes through the large intestines. Here, the absorption of water and salts occurs. The other remains of carbohydrates and some fats can still be absorbed in the colon. The remainder passes on to the rectum as waste, ready for excretion.
Dysfunction of the Digestive System
Indigestion is one of the dysfunctions that can occur in the system. Some of the symptoms of the dysfunction include bloating, nausea, and heartburn. In most cases, indigestion may not be a cause for alarm...