General Science
Human digestive system
Digestive system in humans
Overview
The human digestive system consists of the gastrointestinal tract plus the accessory organs of digestion. Digestion involves the breakdown of food into smaller and smaller components, until they can be absorbed and assimilated into the body. The process of digestion has three stages: the cephalic phase, the gastric phase, and the intestinal phase.
Source: Wikipedia — Human digestive system (CC BY-SA)
Key concepts
How Human digestive system connects to the ideas, people and events around it.
The gastrointestinal tract is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The tract is one of the largest of the body's systems.
The tongue is a muscular organ in the mouth of a typical tetrapod. It manipulates food for chewing and swallowing as part of the digestive process and is the primary organ of taste.
The salivary glands in many vertebrates including mammals are exocrine glands that produce saliva through a system of ducts. Humans have three paired major salivary glands, as well as hundreds of minor salivary glands.
The pancreas is an organ of the digestive system and endocrine system of vertebrates. In humans, it is located in the abdomen behind the stomach and functions as a gland. The pancreas is a mixed or heterocrine gland, i.e.
The liver is a major metabolic organ exclusively found in vertebrates which performs many essential biological functions, such as detoxification of the organism and the synthesis of various proteins and other biochemicals necessary for digestion and growth.
In vertebrates, the gallbladder, also known as the cholecyst, is a small hollow organ where bile is stored and concentrated before it is released into the small intestine.
Digestion is the breakdown of large insoluble food compounds into small water-soluble components so that they can be absorbed into the blood plasma. In certain organisms, these smaller substances are absorbed through the small intestine into the blood stream.
The nervous system and endocrine system collaborate in the digestive system to control gastric secretions, and motility associated with the movement of food throughout the gastrointestinal tract, including peristalsis, and segmentation contractions.
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Questions about Human digestive system
What is Human digestive system?
The human digestive system consists of the gastrointestinal tract plus the accessory organs of digestion. Digestion involves the breakdown of food into smaller and smaller components, until they can be absorbed and assimilated into the body. The process of digestion has three stages: the cephalic phase, the gastric phase, and the intestinal phase.
What are the key concepts related to Human digestive system?
The main concepts connected to Human digestive system include Gastrointestinal tract, Tongue, Salivary gland, Pancreas, Liver, Gallbladder, Digestion, Phases of digestion. Each is linked on the map above with its own summary.
Which exams cover Human digestive system?
Human digestive system is part of General Science, which appears in the syllabus of UPSC CAPF, NDA, CDS, AFCAT, SSC CGL, SSC CHSL and 18 more exams.