Describe the general function of the digestive system?Imagine that you have been asked to provide an explanation about the structure and function of this system to a specific segment of the general public, perhaps a group of senior citizens, pregnant women, or student athletes, who want to learn more about normal functions of the human body as well as health concerns.
Describe the general function of the digestive system and explain how the organ system contributes to physiological homeostasis of the human organism?
Posted by Quentin H
...
Really?
Really?
Two Words...:
It digests...
TADA!
All done!
Fucking moron.
Posted by The Man
It Breaks down all the food you eat and it takes it to other parts of your body.
Posted by A lad
Well the digestive system begins at your mouth and ends at your anus! Food enters the mouth where it comes in contact with enzymes such as amylase which helps digest starch. It enters your stomach through your oesophagus. Once the food is in your stomach it comes in contact with acid and various enzymes that help digest the different components of your foods such as fats, carbohydrates, proteins etc...the acid produced in your stomach allows various enzymes to work at thier optimum pH. The food then enters your intestines which then break down the food into smaller products and absorbs various fats proteins and carbohydrates. The remaining food (waste) then enters your colon and rectum and is excreted from your anus......thats a very basic description.
Posted by ~Y~
OK...well...this is gonna take a trip down memory lane O.o
1. Egestion aka consuming food - Teeth break large bits of food into easy-to-swallow pieces
2. In the gullet/pipe thing that joins your mouth to your stomach - the gullet is lined with cilia (hair-like projections) with swiflty move the broken up food down to the stomach (imagine crowd surfing for a metaphor) - this is done via muscle contractions
3. When the food reaches the stomach, the hydrochloric acid (a very strong acid) in it, breaks down the food even more along with digestive enzymes which ahve been secreted here.
4. The 'food pulp' the passes through the small intestine where nutrients are absorbed through the gut lining and into the blood
5. The 'food pulp' goes through the large intestine where water is reabsorbed back into the blood system
6. At the rectum, faeces are 'processed' and is removed via the anus.
Posted by Justin
Basically 'A lad' was right on with his answer but if you must throw in a bit about Physiological Homeostasis you need to mention what it is and how the digestive system contributes to it.
"The internal equilibrium of the body, the ultimate gage of its proper functioning, involves the maintenance of a constant rate of concentration in the blood of certain molecules and ions that are essential to life and the maintenance at specified levels of other physical parameters such as temperature. This is accomplished in spite of modifications of the environment." This statement defines Biological Homeostasis(BH) in humans. The Digestive system works with the principle of BH by providing a mechanism for the essential nutrients to enter the blood stream and a pathway to excrete the waste. Nutrients enter the blood through absorption through stomach and intestine linings and wastes move along through the body and are excreted at the end of the intestine.
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