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Upper and lower human gastrointestinal tract. The esophagus (American English), oesophagus (British English), or œsophagus (archaic spelling) (see spelling difference) all / iː ˈ s ɒ f ə ɡ ə s, ɪ-/; [1] pl.: ((o)e)(œ)sophagi or ((o)e)(œ)sophaguses), colloquially known also as the food pipe, food tube, or gullet, is an organ in vertebrates through which food passes, aided by ...
There are several organs and other components involved in the digestion of food. The organs known as the accessory digestive organs are the liver, gall bladder and pancreas. Other components include the mouth, salivary glands, tongue, teeth and epiglottis. The largest structure of the digestive system is the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract).
The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The GI tract contains all the major organs of the digestive system, in humans and other animals, including the esophagus , stomach , and intestines .
In the human digestive system, a bolus (a small rounded mass of chewed up food) enters the stomach through the esophagus via the lower esophageal sphincter. The stomach releases proteases (protein-digesting enzymes such as pepsin ), and hydrochloric acid , which kills or inhibits bacteria and provides the acidic pH of 2 for the proteases to work.
Digestion is a complex process controlled by several factors. pH plays a crucial role in a normally functioning digestive tract. In the mouth, pharynx and esophagus, pH is typically about 6.8, very weakly acidic.
In the oesophagus, pharynx and external anal canal the epithelium is stratified, squamous and non-keratinising, for protective purposes. In the stomach, the epithelium is simple columnar, and is organised into gastric pits and glands to deal with secretion. [1] In the small intestine, epithelium is simple columnar and specialised for absorption.
A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, legumes, and dairy may help lower the risk of gastrointestinal cancers, including colorectal cancer, recent research suggests.
Every day, seven liters of fluid are secreted by the digestive system. This fluid is composed of four primary components: ions, digestive enzymes, mucus, and bile. About half of these fluids are secreted by the salivary glands, pancreas, and liver, which compose the accessory organs and glands of the digestive system.