5C-Digestive System

Chapter 5C
THE DIGESTIVE
SYSTEM
2 Lessons on each Body system
Lesson 1 and 2:
The Digestive System
Lesson 3 and 4 :
The Excretory System
Lesson 4 and 6:
The Endocrine System
Learning Intention
• In this lesson you will learn how cells and
tissues of the digestive system are specialised
to perform specific functions.
STUDY DESIGN DOT POINT

• specialisation and organisation of animal cells
into tissues, organs, and systems with specific
functions: digestive system
Key knowledge units
• Purpose of the digestive system

• Cells, tissues, and organs of the human
digestive system
• The digestive systems of other animals
While you listen…
Complete the section for the relevant mammalian
body system.
• Take notes (dot points).

• You will use these for revision.
• Use your Edrolo Textbook to make better notes
at home.
ORGANIC MOLECULES IN OUR BODY
Organic molecule Importance
Carbohydrates Provide a source of immediate energy
Lipids (such as fats) Energy storage in animals
Structural components of cells, cell receptors,

Proteins
enzymes
While required in small amounts, many vitamins are

Vitamins
used to make enzymes
While required in small amounts, minerals are used in

Minerals
many structural components of organisms
Digestive System
Breakdown of organic food into molecules small
enough to be able to pass through membranes
and into cells (absorption).
Click here or play the video
Food into poo
TWO MAJOR
GROUPS OF ORGANS
There are two major groups of organs which
comprise the human digestive system:
• The alimentary canal consists of organs

through which food actually passes
(oesophagus, stomach, small & large
intestine)
• The accessory organs aid in digestion but

do not actually transfer food (salivary
glands, pancreas, liver, gall bladder)
Human Digestive System
The main purpose of the digestive system is to break large
molecules down into smaller subunits because:
• Large molecules are typically chemically inert and need to

be broken down and reassembled into usable products
• Large molecules are typically insoluble and cannot be

absorbed into cells, whereas smaller subunits are soluble
Mechanical and Chemical Digestion
Mechanical digestion: breakdown of the

ingested food into many smaller pieces (greater
surface area).
Chemical digestion: Digestive enzymes released

onto food catalyse their breakdown into smaller
units.
Stages of Digestion
• Ingestion – food is taken into the body
via the act of eating
• Digestion – food is broken down both

physically (e.g. mastication) and
chemically (e.g. enzymatic hydrolysis)
• Absorption – digested food products

are absorbed into the bloodstream and
transported to cells
• Assimilation – digested food products

are converted into the fluid and solid
parts of a cell / tissue
• Elimination – undigested food residues

are egested from the body as semi-solid
faeces
Enzymes
Produced at different sites
along the digestive system.
EXAMPLES:
• amylases (act on
carbohydrates)
• proteases (act on
proteins)
• lipases (act on lipids)
•Enzymes are biological catalysts which speed up the rate of a chemical
ENZYMES reaction (i.e. digestion) by lowering activation energy.
AND THEIR
•Enzymes allow digestive processes to therefore occur at body temperatures
and at sufficient speeds for survival requirements.
ACTION •Enzymes are specific for a substrate and so can allow digestion of certain
molecules to occur independently in distinct locations
Enzymes are Proteins
• Remember Enzymes are proteins.

• They are made by the process of protein synthesis.
• Process: Transcription and Translation
• Organelles involved – Remember Protein secretory
pathway?
LOCATIONS OF ENZYMATIC DIGESTION
Oesophagus  Stomach
Peristalsis is a series of wave-like muscle
contractions that move food through
the digestive tract. It starts in the
oesophagus where strong wave-like
motions of the smooth muscle move balls
of swallowed food to the stomach
Peristalsis – Click here or play the v
ideo
Role of Liver, Gall bladder and
Pancreas?
Stomach: pH ~1-3
Stomach: pH ~1-3
• Gastric juice – mixture of mucus, enzymes, hydrochloric acid and water – secreted by
different kinds of cells in the stomach wall.
• As a result of muscle movement (churning of food), resulting mixture is now known as
chyme
• Digestion of protein begins in the stomach- via pepsin enzyme

Stomach: pH - Acidic
Many enzymes get denatured in acidic environment of Stomach due to the

acidity.
Small Intestine
3 main regions:
1. Duodenum
2. Jejunum
3. Ileum
Digestion here relies on

secretions from the intestine
as well as secretions from 3
organs that lead into it:
pancreas (gland), liver and gall
bladder.
Secretions
from other
organs into
Small
Intestine
Absorption in the Small Intestine
• Villi – small projections from the
surface of small intestine to ↑
SA:VOL for efficient absorption.
Each villi is supplied with a

network of capillaries to
increase absorption.
• Water absorption occurs along

the small and large intestines.
Much of the absorption is by

diffusion. Active transport also
occurs.
Large Intestine
Three parts – caecum, colon and rectum.
Metabolism
Metabolism is the total of all chemical reactions in an organism.
It is the process by which your body converts what you eat and
drink into energy.
Anabolism
+
Catabolism
=
Metabolism
Digestion in
Herbivores
• Herbivores depend heavily on the
fermentation of the food they eat via bacteria
living in their gut.
There are 2 types of gut fermentation:

• Hindgut: large modified sections of the colon
and caecum.
• Foregut: enlarged stomach and/or parts of

the oesophagus. A sub-category of foregut
fermenters are the ruminants. These are
organisms that have more than one
compartment to their stomachs (eg cows).
Homework:
Edrolo Textbook questions:
Chapter - 5C The Digestive System

Questions – 1 TO 20 (written in notebook)

5C-Digestive System

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Chapter 5C

STUDY DESIGN DOT POINT

• Purpose of the digestive system

• Take notes (dot points).

Lipids (such as fats) Energy storage in animals

Structural components of cells, cell receptors,

While required in small amounts, many vitamins are

While required in small amounts, minerals are used in

• The alimentary canal consists of organs

• The accessory organs aid in digestion but

• Large molecules are typically chemically inert and need to

• Large molecules are typically insoluble and cannot be

Mechanical digestion: breakdown of the

Chemical digestion: Digestive enzymes released

• Digestion – food is broken down both

• Absorption – digested food products

• Assimilation – digested food products

• Elimination – undigested food residues

ENZYMES reaction (i.e. digestion) by lowering activation energy.

• Remember Enzymes are proteins.

• Digestion of protein begins in the stomach- via pepsin enzyme

Many enzymes get denatured in acidic environment of Stomach due to the

Digestion here relies on

Each villi is supplied with a

• Water absorption occurs along

Much of the absorption is by

There are 2 types of gut fermentation:

• Foregut: enlarged stomach and/or parts of

Chapter - 5C The Digestive System

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