Identify and describe the major events in digestive system development
Definition Definition Organ system that helps in the digestion of food by mechanical and biochemical processes. The digestive system breaks down food into simpler components that enable the body to then absorb or transport nutrients. The human digestive system includes the gastrointestinal tract or alimentary canal and the associate glands. The organs of the gastrointestinal tract include the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. The associated glands include salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas.
Expert Solution
Step 1: The digestive system
The digestive system is also known as the gastrointestinal tract or the GI tract. It consists of many hollow organs along with many very essential glands that are required for the proper functioning of the digestion process. The digestive system is mainly used to break down complex molecules of food into simpler molecules to use them in the process of obtaining energy. The alimentary canal has the following organs and glands: The mouth, teeth, tongue, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, anus, salivary glands, gastric glands, liver, and pancreas.
The carbohydrates are broken down into monosaccharides, lipids are broken down into fatty acids and glycerol, and proteins are broken down into amino acids. Once these macromolecules are broken down into their simpler components, they are absorbed by the blood vessels present in the small intestine. Lymph vessels known as lacteals are present in the small intestine for the absorbance of fatty acids and glycerol. Then these components are assimilated and used in oxidative phosphorylation to form adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecules. These energy molecules are then used to carry out various metabolic reactions.
