Unit 11 DQ1: Identification of the Major Processes of the Digestive System
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You decide to eat a given food. Discuss the various biological steps that will take place in your body to extract the necessary nutrients like amino acids,glucose,and fatty acids from the food and make them available to the body cells. Respond to 2 other students that have focused on how the body processes one of these nutrients.
Read specifically part 1, section 23.1.
Submission Instructions
The initial post is due on the fourth day of the Unit. Two (2) substantive reply posts are due by the end of the Unit
A “substantive” reply post should have academic support and/or include personal insight on the subject, drawing from your reading, research, data, and personal experiences. A response such as “I agree” or “good job” will not meet the assignment criteria. A substantive response should be a minimum of 3-6 well-structured sentences. Please remember to use netiquette in your replies.
Replies 1
The alimentary canal and the accessory digestive organs are the two primary categories of organs in the digestive system. The alimentary canal, commonly known as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract or gut, is a muscular tube that runs from the mouth to the anus in the body. It breaks down food into tiny particles and absorbs the digested fragments into the bloodstream through its lining. The mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine are the organs of the alimentary canal. The terminal aperture, or anus, is reached by the large intestine (Marieb & Hoehn, 2019, p. 869). The major biological processes that occur during digestive activity include ingestion, propulsion, mechanical breakdown, digestion, absorption, and defecation (Marieb & Hoehn, 2019, p. 870).
Foods like meat, eggs, and beans contain large protein molecules that the body breaks down into smaller molecules known as amino acids. The foodstuff is combined with further digestive enzymes from the pancreas and bile from the liver once it reaches the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine. Food is subsequently pressed into the jejunum and ileum, which are the bottom sections of the small intestine. The ileum, which is coated with millions of finger-like projections called villi, absorbs nutrients. A network of capillaries connects each villus. This is the mechanism through which nutrients enter the circulation. Amino acids are absorbed into the bloodstream through the small intestine and then carried throughout the body (Digestive System Explained, n.d.).
References
“Digestive System Explained – Better Health Channel.” Www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au, www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/digestive-system#the-small-intestine.
Marieb, Elaine Nicpon, and Katja Hoehn. Human Anatomy & Physiology. 11th ed., Harlow, Pearson, 2019.
Replies 2
jean
The digestive system can be broken down into multiple body parts. To begin with the mouth, this allows us to use our teeth to chew the food down and use saliva, which contains enzymes that allow the breakdown of carbs and sugars into glucose. once the food enters the esophagus and reaches the stomach this allows new chemicals to be introduces such as hydrochloric acid and protease. This allows the proteins to be broken down into amino acids and will be used as the energy source that the body needs.
The small intestine is where most of the digestion and nutrients get absorbed. The duodenum is the first part of the small intestine. This is where the bile breaks down the fats into smaller molecules which then allows the pancreatic enzymes to turn them into fatty acids.
The jejunum is the second part of the small intestine which is where the pancreas assist with breaking down the nutrients into its fats and carbohydrates.
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Boundless. (n.d.). Boundless Biology. Retrieved November 15, 2021, from https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-biology/chapter/nutrition-and-energy-production/ (Links to an external site.)
Your digestive system & how it works. (n.d.). Retrieved November 15, 2021, from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/digestive-system-how-it-works
