The
body lies in contact and the undersurface of the liver. Neck: The neck is the
part of the gallbladder that lies closest to the cystic duct, and it connects
the body of the gallbladder to the cystic duct. The body and neck of the
gallbladder is attached to the surface of the liver by the peritoneal covering.
The gallbladder is the site for storage and concentration of bile, until it is
necessary for digestion. It can store about 50 ml of bile. The primary function
of the gallbladder is to aid in the digestion of fats. To carry out this
function, it receives bile secreted by the liver through the cystic duct. The
liver secretes bile through the left and right hepatic ducts, which come
together to form the common hepatic duct. The cystic duct from the gallbladder
joins the common hepatic duct to form the common bile duct, which carries bile
to the small intestines. The sphincter of Odd regulates the flow of bile into
the small intestines, and when it contracts, the bile flows through the cystic
duct into the gallbladder. The bile accumulated in the gallbladder undergoes
certain modifications. The function of bile is to emulsify the fats present in
the partly digested food, and this is essential for the digestion of fats and
lipids.
When fatty food reaches the small intestines, it Soma Biotics stimulates the release
of a hormone cholecystitis from the mucous membranes present on the walls of
the small intestines. The hormone reaches the gallbladder through the
bloodstream, and triggers its contraction. This hormone also triggers the
relaxation of the muscles of the sphincter of Odd, facilitating the flow of
concentrated bile into the small intestines. Gallstones are the most common
conditions affecting the gallbladder, and are formed due to the solidification
of certain substances present in the bile. While gallstones are mostly
harmless, they can sometimes grow bigger and move into the cystic duct, causing
a blockage. This condition is more common in people who are above the age of 40
and obese. Also, women are more prone to the condition. A sharp pain in the
abdominal region is the most common symptom of gallstones, although a patient
may not experience any symptoms for years. The symptoms, if present, worsen
after the intake of fatty foods. In most cases, the treatment comprises oral
medications that dissolve the gallstones. Lithotripsy, in which ultrasonic
shock waves are used to break the stones into smaller fragments, is also used.
The surgical treatment involves removal of the gallbladder by a process termed
as cholecystectomy. After the surgery, provision is made for the bile to pass
through the ducts directly from the liver to the small intestine.
The surgery
is simple and there are rarely any complications involved. In rare cases,
however, complications such as bleeding, diarrhea, and infection of the cystic
duct, may arise. However, these are not a cause of concern, and can be easily
treated and medications after consulting a doctor. Digestion is the process of
breaking down food into smaller molecules that can be easily absorbed by the
body to use as energy to build and nourish cells. The human digestive system
provides the body and all the necessary carbohydrates, vitamins, fats and amino
acids, that keep the estimated 50-75 trillion cells, functioning. It also
eliminates all the waste products from the body. Throughout this process, there
are many organs that contribute to the breaking down of food. Here are all the
organs that are involved in the process, along and their functions. You can
also refer to the diagram below to know the exact position of the organs. The
Different Organs of the Digestive System and their Functions the human
digestive system can be classified into two basic sections, the upper
gastrointestinal tract and the lower gastrointestinal tract. Upper
Gastrointestinal Tract The process of digestion starts in the upper
gastrointestinal tract which comprises the mouth, teeth, tongue, pharynx,
esophagus and the stomach. Mouth: This is the first organ that begins the
digestion process and it is here that mastication or breaking down of food
takes place.
The mouth further contains three basic organs - the salivary
glands, tongue and the teeth. Salivary glands: When the mouth receives food,
three pairs of exocrine salivary glands secrete saliva, which acts as a
lubricating agent to moisten food. Saliva also produces a called amylase that
breaks down the starch present in highly starchy food into sugar or maltose.
The saliva also contains some disinfecting or antibacterial properties which
kills some of the bacteria and fungi during the chewing process. Tongue: This
primary organ of taste has much more to it than just taste buds. It helps in
the chewing and swallowing process which is also known as deglutition. The
tongue guides the food and keeps it between the upper and lower teeth. The
masticated food, called bolus is then swallowed. Teeth Just like the tongue,
the human teeth play an important role in preparing the food for digestion. As
the tongue pushes the food against the teeth, it starts chewing and breaking it
into smaller pieces. Though, the teeth do not play an active role in the
chemical simplification of the food, chewing makes it easier for other organs
to break down food and absorb nutrients. Pharynx The pharynx or throat lies
behind the mouth or the buckle cavity. The main role of the pharynx is to
prevent the food from entering the voice box or larynx and divert it to the
esophagus. Esophagus The esophagus is a muscular tube that connects the mouth
to the stomach. It is around 10 inches long and about 1-inch wide.
Once the
food is masticated, it passes through the esophagus which has two sphincters
that remain closed except during swallowing. Though, the pharynx and esophagus
are not directly related to the actual simplification of food, their function
of conveyance of food is extremely important for the gastrointestinal tract.
Stomach The stomach is the organ that conducts the mammoth task of breaking
down food. It receives the ingested food from the esophagus and mixes it and
gastric juices to further break it down. The stomach is divided into four
parts. The cardiac receives the bolus from the esophagus. It then goes through
the funds, which is the uppermost part of the stomach. The stomach can dilate
to accommodate about a quarter of food and liquid and out putting pressure on
the stomach. Then the bolus is transported to the largest part of the stomach,
the corpus or simply the body and it is here that the bolus is converted into chime.
Chime is the semi-fluid partially digested food that is mixed and gastric
juices. The chime now goes through the tantrum, which is the lowest part of the
stomach. It is funnel-shaped and joins the stomach and the duodenum. Lower
Gastrointestinal Tract The lower gastrointestinal tract comprises the small
intestine, large intestine and the anus. During digestion the lower
gastrointestinal tract helps the body to assimilate all the nutrients that have
been simplified by the upper gastrointestinal tract. Small intestine: Also
known as the small bowel, the small intestine is the longest section of the
digestive tract.
However, it is called the small intestine because it has a
smaller diameter than the large intestine. The main purpose of the small
intestine is to absorb nutrients from the food during digestion. It is made up
of three parts - the duodenum, jejunum and the ileum. Duodenum: The duodenum is
the shortest part of the small intestine and is connected to the lower portion
of the stomach. The main function of the duodenum is to break down the food
using secreted by the pancreas and bile secreted by the liver. The jejunum is
the mid-section of the small intestine. The most important function of this
organ is the absorption of carbohydrates and proteins. It has a specialized
lining and small, finger-like projections called villa. This villa increases
the internal absorptive surface area which in turn helps in the absorption of
more nutrients. The villa is also connected to the blood vessels so that the
circulating blood can carry the nutrients to different parts of the body.
Ileum: The ileum is the final section of the small intestine.
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