THE HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

Breaks food down into absorbable units that enters the blood for

distribution to body cells; indigestible foodstuffs are eliminated as feces

The digestive system

THE PARTS OF THE HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

• Mouth• Pharynx• Esophagus• stomach

• Small intestine• Large intestine• Rectum• Anus

MOUTH

food enters the digestive tract through the mouth or oral cavity

PHARYNX from the mouth, food passes posteriorly into the oropharynx and laryngopharynx, both of which are common passageways for food, fluids and air. The pharynx is subdivided into the nasopharynx, part of the respiratory passageway; the oropharynx, posterior to the oral cavity; and the laryngopharynx, which is continuous with the esophagus below.

ESOPHAGUS

the esophagus or gullet runs from the pharynx through the diaphragm to the stomach. About

25cm (10 inches) long, it is essentially a

passageway that conducts food to the

stomach.

STOMACHThe stomach is a muscular organ located on the left side of the upper abdomen. The stomach receives food from the esophagus. As food reaches the end of the esophagus, it enters the stomach through a muscular valve called the lower esophageal sphincter.

SMALL INTESTINEthe small intestine is the body’s major digestive organ. Within its twisted passageways, usable food is finally prepared for its journey into the cells of the body. The small intestine is a muscular tube extending from the pyloric sphincter to the ileocecal valve.

LARGE INTESTINEthe large intestine is much larger in diameter than the small intestine (thus its name, the large intestine) but shorter in length. About 1.5 meters (5 feet) long, it extends from the ileocecal valve to the anus. Its major function is to dry out the indigestible food residue by absorbing water and to eliminate these residues from the body as feces.

RECTUMThe rectum (Latin for "straight") is an 8-inch chamber that connects the colon to the anus. It is the rectum's job to receive stool from the colon, to let you know there is stool to be evacuated, and to hold the stool until evacuation happens.

ANUSThe anus is the last part of the digestive tract. It consists of the pelvic floor muscles and the two anal sphincters (internal and external muscles).