Digestive System


I.  Introductory
	A.  Basic Digestive Functions
		1.  Motility, Secretion, Digestion, Absorption
		2.  KNOW breakdown of primary foodstuffs to absorbable units
		3.  KNOW enzymology and location of secretions
II.  The Digestive Tract - Structure and Function
	A.  General anatomy of the tract
	B.  Smooth muscle contraction via BER/pacesetter potentials
	C.  Digestive tract regions
		1.  Mouth
			a.  mastication
			b.  saliva
			c.  carbohydrate digestion
		2.  Pharynx & Esophagus
			a.  stages of deglutition
		3.  Stomach
			a.  fundus, body, antrum
			b.  stimuli of gastric emptying
			c.  gastric mucosa and pits
				1.  chief cells - pepsinogen
				2.  parietal cells - HCl and intrinsic factor
				3. antrum release of gastrin
			d.  start of protein digestion
		4.  Pancreas & Liver
			a.  zymogen granules of the pancreas
			b.  exocrine & endocrine functions of the pancreas
			c.  acinar versus duct cells of the pancreas
			d.  bile production and composition
			e.  micellar formation and emulsification of fats
		5.  Small Intestine
			a.  duodenum, jejunum, ileum
			b.  segmentation - major site digestion
			c.  brush border = microvilli and associated enzymes
			d.  crypts of Lieberkühn
			e.  only site of absorption:   mechanisms
				1.  active, passive, or facilitated?
				2.  protein, carbos versus fats
		6.  Large Intestine
			a.  cecum, appendix, colon, rectum
			b.  NO digestion, water & salt absorption
			c.  haustral contractions, constipation, feces formation
III.  Most Ubiquitous Digestive Disturbances
	1.  Diarrhea
	2.  Vomiting
	3.  Peptic Ulcers