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Human Digestive System |
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The human digestive system is one of the most studied animal digestive systems. It is only when the people have thorough knowledge about the different facets of the digestive system of the humans, that proper health could be ensured. That is one of the major reasons for the numerous medical studies which are carried out on the digestive system of human beings, in different parts of the world. The various components of the digestive system include the mouth, the salivary glands, the esophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, small intestine and the large intestine. The details of all these are given below.
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Mouth and salivary glands
The first step in the human digestive system involves the use of the mouth, when food is consumed. The salivary glands help in the breaking down of the food while chewing. The saliva breaks down the starch contained in the food particles into much smaller molecules. The mouth and the salivary glands are important parts of the human digestive system .
The esophagus and the stomach
Once the chewed food is swallowed, the esophagus comes into play. It is actually a long tube which connects the mouth to the stomach. The tube is responsible for the transport of the food particles to the stomach via the throat. Upon reaching the stomach, the food consumed, is washed with strong gastric acids which helps in the process of digestion. The human digestive system includes the esophagus and the stomach.
The small intestine
From the stomach the food reaches the small intestine. Duodenum is the first part of the intestine where the food lands. From the duodenum, it reaches the jejunum and finally the ileum. It is in the small intestine that carries out further breakdown of the food via the bile produced by liver, pancreatic enzymes and other enzymes. The small intestine is one of the important parts of the human digestive system.
The large intestine
From the small intestine, the broken down food particle is transferred to the large intestine. The large intestine is the place where the water and electrolytic contents of the food are removed. The microbes located in the large intestine contributes to the digestive process. The food is transported from one part of the large intestine to another. The cecum, the ascending colon, the transverse colon, the descending colon and the sigmoid colon are the areas through which the food travels in the large intestine. The large intestine plays a critical role in the human digestive system.
Overview of the human digestive system
The human digestive system process is classified under 6 headings, namely ingestion, secretion, propulsion, digestion, absorption and defecation. The process of consumption of food through mouth is termed as ingestion. Various enzymes and other liquid matter is secreted by various glands of the body which aid in digestion. Propulsion helps in the movement of the food particle. The process of digestion includes the chemical and mechanical breakdown of the food. During the process of absorption the nutrients move from the tract to the blood or lymph. The final step is the process of excretion known as defecation.
These are some of the details which studies on the human digestive system have revealed.
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