The Mammalian Digestive System

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The Mammalian Digestive System
The digestive system in mammals is responsible
for the chemical breakdown of food and its
absorption from the gut
Much of the food that we consume contains
macromolecules that are too large to be absorbed
and utilised by the body cells
Starch and protein are polymers and lipids are
large molecules
Polymers need to be broken down into their
monomers and large molecules into smaller
constituents, if absorption is to occur
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The Mammalian Digestive System
Digestion is the process of breaking down large
food molecules into smaller molecules that can be
absorbed and used by body cells
In humans, hydrolytic enzymes are responsible
for the chemical digestion of starch, protein
and lipids
Hydrolytic enzymes (hydrolases) are manufactured
in various regionsof the digestive system
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The Mammalian Digestive System
The organs of the digestive system are made up of
the gastrointestinal tract (GI) and accessory
structures
The gastrointestinal tract or alimentary canal is
a continuous tube running from the mouth to the
anus
The major organs of the alimentary canal are

• The mouth
• The oesophagus
• The stomach
• The small intestine (duodenum and ileum)
• The large intestine (colon, rectum and anus)

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The Stomach Duodenum Outlinedon a Barium Meal
X-Ray
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The Stomach Intestine Outlinedon a Barium Meal
X-Ray