THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

Eating and drinking are fundamental needs. The function of the digestive system is to transform food by successive physical and chemical operations and then to eliminate the residues. In fact what we eat and drink requires the digestive system to undergo a series of transformations designed to retain all the nutrients necessary to maintain the body's homeostasis and good health.After reading this course you should be able to:1. list the organs of the digestive system and describe their respective structures2. list the general histological characteristics of the digestive system3. explain the functions of the structures of the oral cavity and describe mastication and swallowing4. name the different teeth and describe the structure of a particular tooth5. describe the main salivary glands and their functions6. describe the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the stomach7. describe gastric movements and emptying of the stomach8. list the main functions of the pancreas and liver9. describe the secretions and movements of the small and large intestines.