Gastrointestinal physiology
Gastrointestinal Physiology
Gastrointestinal physiology (pronunciation: gas-tro-in-tes-ti-nal fi-zi-ol-o-ji) refers to the study of the function and processes occurring in the gastrointestinal tract, which includes the stomach, intestines, and other organs involved in digestion and absorption of nutrients.
Etymology
The term "gastrointestinal" is derived from the Greek words "gaster" (stomach) and "enteron" (intestine). "Physiology" comes from the Greek "physis" (nature) and "logia" (study of).
Function
The primary function of the gastrointestinal system is to break down food into nutrients, which are then absorbed into the body. This process involves several stages, including ingestion, digestion, absorption, and excretion.
Ingestion
Ingestion is the process of taking in food through the mouth. The teeth and salivary glands play a crucial role in this stage by breaking down the food into smaller pieces and beginning the process of digestion.
Digestion
Digestion involves the breakdown of food into smaller, absorbable components. This process is facilitated by various digestive enzymes produced by the pancreas and the lining of the stomach and intestines.
Absorption
Absorption is the process by which the nutrients from digested food are taken up by the cells lining the intestines and transferred into the bloodstream.
Excretion
Excretion is the final stage of gastrointestinal physiology, where undigested and unabsorbed food materials are expelled from the body as feces.
Related Terms
- Gastroenterology: The branch of medicine focused on the digestive system and its disorders.
- Digestive enzymes: Proteins that speed up the breakdown of food into nutrients.
- Peristalsis: The wave-like muscle contractions that move food through the digestive tract.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Gastrointestinal physiology
- Wikipedia's article - Gastrointestinal physiology
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