Physiology of

Digestion
Chapter 3

Carbohydrates
Mouth
Digestion of carbohydrate begins in the mouth, with

the secretion of the enzyme salivary amylase from

the serous cells of the salivary gland.
This enzyme breaks starch and glycogen into
disaccharides.
The mucous cells of the salivary gland secrete a
mucus, which causes the food to stick together, and
acts as a lubricant to aid in swallowing.
The salivary glands are grouped into three
categories: the parotid gland, submandibular
glands, and sublingual, all located near the
mouth.

Lipids
Mouth
Mechanical digestion occurs in the mouth by

the mixing and churning of food and the

release of mucus to lubricate the food.
The food containing fats essentially follow the
same pathway as carbohydrate foods, with
chemical digestion primarily beginning in the
stomach.
No chemical digestion of lipids occurs in the
mouth.

Protein
Mouth
As food containing protein

enters the mouth, mucus is

secreted to bind the particles
together.
No chemical digestion of protein
occurs in the mouth.

Esophagus
The food (bolus) is forced into the pharynx by

the tongue. As the food is swallowed, it moves

into the esophagus (a straight collapsible tube),
which essentially provides a passageway from
the pharynx to the stomach.
The mucus glands of the esophagus secrete
mucus to aid in moistening and lubricating the
bolus.
The peristaltic reactions of the muscles push
the bolus through the esophagus.

Cardiac Sphincter
The bolus passes through the cardiac

sphincter, into the first section of the

stomach.

Regions of the Stomach

The stomach is divided into several regions:

the cardiac region, body region, fundic

region, and pyloric region.

Carbohydrates
Stomach
The stomach works to mix and churn the

food, which aids in further digestion of

carbohydrates.
At this point, the bolus is converted into a
semifluid paste of bolus and gastric juices
called chyme.
No chemical digestion occurs in the stomach.

Lipids
Stomach
The surface of the inner lining of the stomach

contains openings called gastric glands, which

are made up of three types of cells: mucous
cells, chief cells, and parietal cells. A
hormone called gastrin stimulates the gastric
glands to secrete their fluids.

Lipids
Stomach
Gastric enzymes are secreted by the chief cells,

while hydrochloric acid is secreted by the parietal

cells. The combination of mucus, hydrochloric
acid and enzymes is referred to as gastric juices.
The gastric juices contain small amounts of
gastric lipase, which begin the breaking down
of specific lipids.
A hormone called somatostatin inhibits the
release of acid. As the stomach churns, it mixes
the bolus and converts it into a semifluid referred
to as chyme.

Protein
Stomach
The chief cells located in the stomach secrete

gastric juices containing an enzyme precursor

called pepsinogen. As it comes in contact
with hydrochloric acid, it is converted into an
active form referred to as pepsin.

Pyloric Sphincter
The chyme then travels through the pyloric

sphincter into the first section of the small

intestines.

Sections of Small
Intestines
The small intestines is

divided into three sections:

duodenum,
jejunum,
ileum.

Carbohydrates
Small Intestines
As the chyme moves into the duodenum, an

enzyme called pancreatic amylase is

released through the pancreatic duct. This
enzyme splits molecules of starch and
glycogen into disaccharides.
Enzymes released by the walls of the small
intestines
sucrase, maltase, and lactase, break down
the disaccharides into monosaccharide.

Lipids
Small Intestines
As the chyme passes into the duodenum,

cholecystokinin stimulates the gallbladder to release

a substance called bile through the common bile
duct. The function of bile is to emulsify fats, or
break them into smaller droplets. This allows the
small droplets of fat to be digested more effectively.
Pancreatic Amylase is released by the Pancreas to
continue to work on the Lipids.
The mucosal cells of the SI release an enzyme called
intestinal lipase, which splits fats into fatty acids
and glycerol.

Protein
Small Intestines

When protein reaches the duodenum, the pancreas

releases three protein splitting enzymes in inactive

forms called trypsinogen, chymotrypsinogen,
and procarboxypeptidase.
Once trypsinogen comes in contact with an
enzyme called enterokinase, which is secreted by
the mucosal cells of the small intestines, then
trypsin is activated.
The presence of trypsin then activates the
inactive procarboxypeptidase and
chymotrypsinogen, and they are converted into
chymotrypsin and carboxypeptidase.

Illeocecal Valve
The remainder (waste, fiber and water) moves

through the Illeocecal valve into the colon.

Colon

Sections:
Cecum, Ascending Colon,

Transverse, Descending,
Sigmoid

Rectum
Anus

Waste is then removed

from the body from this

passage.