The human digestive system is a complex network of organs that turns food into energy. To understand how our body processes what we eat, we must first learn the specific scientific terms used in biology. In this post, we have listed the most important digestive system terminology in simple English."
1. General Processes
Ingestion: The process of taking food into the mouth.
Digestion: The chemical and mechanical breakdown of food into smaller components.
Absorption: The process by which nutrients pass through the walls of the digestive tract into the bloodstream.
Assimilation: The movement of digested food molecules into the cells of the body where they are used.
Egestion (Defecation): The elimination of undigested food waste from the body.
2. Anatomical Terms
Alimentary Canal: The long tube through which food passes, starting from the mouth and ending at the anus.
Esophagus: The muscular tube (food pipe) that connects the throat to the stomach.
Sphincter: A ring-like muscle that opens and closes to control the passage of food (e.g., Cardiac sphincter, Pyloric sphincter).
Villi: Tiny, finger-like projections in the small intestine that increase surface area for better absorption.
3. Digestive Substances
Bolus: A small, rounded mass of chewed food mixed with saliva that is swallowed.
Chyme: The thick, semi-fluid mass of partially digested food that leaves the stomach and enters the small intestine.
Enzymes: Biological catalysts (like Amylase, Pepsin, Lipase) that speed up the breakdown of food.
Bile: A greenish-yellow fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder that helps in the digestion of fats (Emulsification).
4. Key Actions
Mastication: The scientific term for chewing.
Peristalsis: The wave-like muscular contractions that move food along the digestive tract.
Emulsification: The breakdown of large fat globules into smaller ones, primarily by bile.
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