Interactions With Other Organ Systems
The digestive system is essential for the body to digest and absorb nutrients. However, this organ system also needs the cooperation of other important bodily systems. They interact with the integumentary, cardiovascular, skeletal, lymphatic muscular, respiratory nervous, endocrine, reproductive, and urinary systems in several ways that ensures the body's health.
Integumentary System- The Vitamin D that is activated in the epidermis is important for absorbing calcium in the digestive system.
Cardiovascular System- Blood is a very important factor in the digestive system. This is because the bloodstream carries nutrients that are broken down throughout the digestive system. For instance, the liver receives 25% of the body's blood from the intestine while detoxifying it of toxins and unwanted chemicals
Skeletal System- The skeletal system is significant in the digestive system because it plays a role in the first step of digestion, mastication. Mastication is the chewing of food that allows a more efficient breakdown of food.
Lymphatic System- The system consists of tissues and organs that contain lymph vessels and nodes. These tissues are important because it absorbs fats through fat-soluble vitamins.
Muscular System- Muscles play an important role in mastication, swallowing, and moving the products of digestion through the digestive tract. Also, muscular contractions are used constantly throughout the system by the organs in order to break down food.
Endocrine System- Produces hormones that influence digestive activity
Reproductive System- The several nutrients that are broken down by the digestive system are important for the conception and development of offspring.
Integumentary System- The Vitamin D that is activated in the epidermis is important for absorbing calcium in the digestive system.
Cardiovascular System- Blood is a very important factor in the digestive system. This is because the bloodstream carries nutrients that are broken down throughout the digestive system. For instance, the liver receives 25% of the body's blood from the intestine while detoxifying it of toxins and unwanted chemicals
Skeletal System- The skeletal system is significant in the digestive system because it plays a role in the first step of digestion, mastication. Mastication is the chewing of food that allows a more efficient breakdown of food.
Lymphatic System- The system consists of tissues and organs that contain lymph vessels and nodes. These tissues are important because it absorbs fats through fat-soluble vitamins.
Muscular System- Muscles play an important role in mastication, swallowing, and moving the products of digestion through the digestive tract. Also, muscular contractions are used constantly throughout the system by the organs in order to break down food.
Endocrine System- Produces hormones that influence digestive activity
Reproductive System- The several nutrients that are broken down by the digestive system are important for the conception and development of offspring.
Organ Functions and Their Interactions
Mouth- The mouth begins the digestive process by breaking food into easily digested food pieces. Also, the saliva breaks it down for the body to utilize the nutrients. Then, it is sent down the throat.
Throat- The food travels down the throat and to the esophagus. Provides transportation from the mouth to the esophagus. Saliva along the walls of this tube aid in digesting the food further.
Esophagus- This tube extends from the throat to the stomach. Through many muscular contractions, the esophagus transports food to the stomach. Food is prevented from moving back upward.
Stomach- This is a significant organ in the digestive system. It is a sac organ with strong muscular and tissue support. The stomach has many functions. It secretes powerful acids and enzymes that continue to break down food. Thus, the nutrients are also broken down to smaller components. Ridged muscle tissues line the stomach sac; thus, it prevents the organ from decomposing due to the high acidity. The muscles in the stomach have to contract periodically in order to enhance digestion. The food moves from the stomach to the small intestine through a valve called the pyloric sphincter.
Small Intestine- The small intestine is a long tube the uses enzymes released by the pancreas and bile from the liver. These aid in breaking down the food to a greater extent. The bile aids in digesting fat, while also removing waste from the blood. Contractions are an important component of the small intestine also because it moves food through the long tube and combine it with the digestive enzymes. While doing all of this, the nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream.
Pancreas- The pancreas coincides with the small intestine by secreting the important digestive enzymes that break down macro molecules
Liver- Its most important functions are to secrete bile into the small intestine and to purify blood, from the small intestine, of toxins.
Gallbladder- This pear-shaped sa stores the bile that is sent from the liver. This is sent through the channel known as the cystic duct. The, during meals, the gallbladder's muscles contract and bile is sent to the small intestine. Once nutrients are fully absorbed by the gallbladder and small intestine, the food is passed to the large intestine.
Large Intestine (Colon)- The large intestine is a long tube that connects to the rectum, another important part of the digestive system. Waste that is left over from the digestive process is passed through this organ through several muscular contractions. The waste begins as liquid before the contractions occur, then it becomes solid. The waste consists of bacteria and food that could not be digested thoroughly. This waste is important because it creates many vitamins, protects against threatening bacteria, and processes waste in the large intestine. This begins the process of elimination of the digestive system.
Rectum and Anus- The rectum is a chamber that connects the large intestine to the anus. The large intestine, rectum, and anus are important parts of the elimination process for waste. The rectum receives waste from the colon and transports it to the anus to be eliminated from the individual's body.
Throat- The food travels down the throat and to the esophagus. Provides transportation from the mouth to the esophagus. Saliva along the walls of this tube aid in digesting the food further.
Esophagus- This tube extends from the throat to the stomach. Through many muscular contractions, the esophagus transports food to the stomach. Food is prevented from moving back upward.
Stomach- This is a significant organ in the digestive system. It is a sac organ with strong muscular and tissue support. The stomach has many functions. It secretes powerful acids and enzymes that continue to break down food. Thus, the nutrients are also broken down to smaller components. Ridged muscle tissues line the stomach sac; thus, it prevents the organ from decomposing due to the high acidity. The muscles in the stomach have to contract periodically in order to enhance digestion. The food moves from the stomach to the small intestine through a valve called the pyloric sphincter.
Small Intestine- The small intestine is a long tube the uses enzymes released by the pancreas and bile from the liver. These aid in breaking down the food to a greater extent. The bile aids in digesting fat, while also removing waste from the blood. Contractions are an important component of the small intestine also because it moves food through the long tube and combine it with the digestive enzymes. While doing all of this, the nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream.
Pancreas- The pancreas coincides with the small intestine by secreting the important digestive enzymes that break down macro molecules
Liver- Its most important functions are to secrete bile into the small intestine and to purify blood, from the small intestine, of toxins.
Gallbladder- This pear-shaped sa stores the bile that is sent from the liver. This is sent through the channel known as the cystic duct. The, during meals, the gallbladder's muscles contract and bile is sent to the small intestine. Once nutrients are fully absorbed by the gallbladder and small intestine, the food is passed to the large intestine.
Large Intestine (Colon)- The large intestine is a long tube that connects to the rectum, another important part of the digestive system. Waste that is left over from the digestive process is passed through this organ through several muscular contractions. The waste begins as liquid before the contractions occur, then it becomes solid. The waste consists of bacteria and food that could not be digested thoroughly. This waste is important because it creates many vitamins, protects against threatening bacteria, and processes waste in the large intestine. This begins the process of elimination of the digestive system.
Rectum and Anus- The rectum is a chamber that connects the large intestine to the anus. The large intestine, rectum, and anus are important parts of the elimination process for waste. The rectum receives waste from the colon and transports it to the anus to be eliminated from the individual's body.