What is the Alimentary Canal?

The alimentary canal is mainly referred to as the pathway by which food enters our body and moves out through the anus
after digestion. It is a tube-like structure which starts from the mouth and ends in the anus. The alimentary canal plays a
primary role in human digestion and is also termed as the digestive tract.

Organs of the Alimentary Canal:

The structure and functions of these organs are discussed below.

Human digestive system comprises the alimentary canal and various digestive glands. The alimentary canal is a muscular
tube, which extends from the mouth to the anus. The human digestive system comprises mouth, pharynx, oesophagus,
stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and anus..

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Mouth
The mouth is the first part of our digestive system. Food is ingested through the mouth.

Oral cavity
The oral cavity comprises the palate, tongue and teeth.

Palate – The roof of the oral cavity.

Tongue – Muscular and glandular structure attached to the base of the oral cavity. The upper surface of the tongue has tiny
projections known as lingual papillae. Lingual papillae are of three types: circumvallate, fungiform and filiform.

Also Read: Structure of Tongue

Teeth

Humans are diphyodont i.e. they have two sets of teeth- milk or deciduous and permanent teeth. Here is the list of
different types of teeth in humans with their functions.

Type of teeth Function

Incisors Used for cutting

Canines Used for tearing

Premolars Used for Chopping

Molars Used for Grinding and Chewing

The structure of the tooth is made up of three parts- the crown, neck, and root. The exposed part of the tooth is called the
crown, the region where it is covered with gums is known as neck and root is embedded in the socket of the jaw bone
(Thecodont).

Pharynx
It is the common passage for food and air. Epiglottis prevents the entry of food into the windpipe.

Oesophagus
It is a muscular tube through which small bolus of food passes from the mouth to the stomach. The gastro-oesophageal
sphincter controls the movement of food into the stomach.

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Stomach
It is a muscular bag, positioned at the upper left part of the abdominal cavity. It has four parts- cardiac, fundus, body and
pyloric portion.

1. Cardiac part– It is present close to the heart. The opening of the oesophagus to the stomach is regulated by the
gastro-oesophageal sphincter.
2. Fundus– It is dome-shaped and is usually filled with air.
3. Body– This is the main part of the stomach.
4. Pyloric- It opens in the first part of the small intestine, duodenum. The opening of the stomach into the small
intestine is regulated by the pyloric sphincter.

Small Intestine
It is the longest part of the alimentary canal and comprises three parts- Duodenum, Jejunum, and Ileum.

1. Duodenum– It is C- shaped. The pancreatic, bile and hepatic secretions are added to the food by hepatopancreatic
duct.
2. Jejunum– Middle part of the small intestine.
3. Ileum– It is highly coiled and opens into the large intestine.

Large Intestine
The small intestine leads into the large intestine. It has three parts- Caecum, Colon, and Rectum.

1. Caecum– It is a small sac-like structure containing symbiotic microorganisms. The vermiform appendix (vestigial
organ) is attached to it.
2. Colon– It is divided into four regions- ascending, transverse, sigmoid and descending.
3. Rectum– It opens into the anus.

The Human Digestive System Definition 2

 The human digestive system is the collective name used to describe the
alimentary canal, some accessory organs, and a variety of digestive processes
that take place at different levels in the canal to prepare food eaten in the diet
for absorption.
 It has a general structure that is modified at different levels to provide for the
processes occurring at each level.
 The complex of digestive processes gradually breaks down the foods eaten until
they are in a form suitable for absorption.
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  After absorption, nutrients are used to synthesize body constituents.
 They provide the raw materials for the manufacture of new cells, hormones and
enzymes, and the energy needed for these and other processes and for the
disposal of waste materials.

The human digestive system consists of the alimentary tract and accessory organs.
North Dakota Fossil Site Reveals When Asteroid Killed Dinosaurs

Alimentary Tract of The Human Digestive System

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A. Mouth
A site where mechanical and chemical digestion takes place
In the mouth, starch is digested chemically by the enzyme salivary amylase to form
maltose
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The Tongue
 The tongue is a voluntary muscular structure that occupies the floor of the mouth.
 The tongue plays an important part in:
 mastication (chewing)
 deglutition (swallowing)
 speech
 taste

The Teeth
 The teeth are embedded in the alveoli or sockets of the alveolar ridges of the
mandible and the maxilla.
 Each individual has two sets, the temporary or deciduous teeth, and the
permanent teeth.
 At birth, the teeth of both dentitions are present in an immature form in the
mandible and maxilla.
 There are 20 temporary teeth, 10 in each jaw. They begin to erupt when the child
is about 6 months old, and should all be present after 24 months.
 The permanent teeth begin to replace the deciduous teeth in the 6th year of age
and this dentition, consisting of 32 teeth, is usually complete by the 24th year.
Types and Functions of the teeth
The incisor and canine teeth are the cutting teeth and are used for biting off pieces of
food, whereas the premolar and molar teeth, with broad, flat surfaces, are used for
grinding or chewing food.

Image Source: Scientific Animations.

B. The Pharynx
 Food passes from the oral cavity into the pharynx then to the esophagus below,
with which it is continuous.
Function of Pharynx
The pharynx has roles in both the respiratory and digestive systems and can be thought
of as the point where these systems diverge.

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For the digestive system, its muscular walls function in the process of swallowing, and it
serves as a pathway for the movement of food from the mouth to the esophagus.
 The constrictive circular muscles of the pharynx’s outer layer play a big role in
peristalsis. A series of contractions will help propel ingested food and drink
down the intestinal tract safely.
 The inner layer’s longitudinal muscles, on the other hand, will widen the pharynx
laterally and lift it upward, thus allowing the swallowing of ingested food and
drink.
C. The Oesophagus
 The esophagus is about 25 cm long and about 2 cm in diameter and lies in the
median plane in the thorax in front of the vertebral column behind the trachea
and the heart.
 It is continuous with the pharynx above and just below the diaphragm it joins the
stomach.
Functions of Oesophagus
 The esophagus serves to pass food and liquids from the mouth down to the
stomach. This is accomplished by periodic contractions (peristalsis).
 The esophagus is an important connection to the digestive system through the
thoracic cavity, which protects the heart and lungs.
.
D. The Stomach
 Stomach size varies with the volume of food it contains, which may be 1.5 liters or
more in an adult.
.
Functions of the Stomach
 Temporary storage allowing time for the digestive enzymes, pepsins, to act.
 Chemical digestion — pepsins convert proteins to polypeptides.
 Mechanical breakdown — the three smooth muscle layers enable the stomach to
act as a churn, gastric juice is added and the contents are liquefied to chime.
 defense against microbes — provided by hydrochloric acid in gastric juice.
 Preparation of iron for absorption further along the track — the acid environment
of the stomach solubilizes iron salts, which is required before iron can be
absorbed
 Regulation of the passage of gastric contents into the duodenum.

E. The Small Intestine

 The small intestine is continuous with the stomach at the pyloric sphincter and
leads into the large intestine at the ileocaecal valve.
 It is a little over 5 meters long and lies in the abdominal cavity surrounded by the
large intestine.

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  In the small intestine, the chemical digestion of food is completed and most of
the absorption of nutrients takes place.
 The small intestine comprises three main sections continuous with each other:
1. The duodenum: It is about 25 cm long and curves around the head of the
pancreas. Secretions from the gall bladder and pancreas are released into the
duodenum
 The ileum, The surface area of the small intestine mucosa is greatly increased by
permanent circular folds, villi, and microvilli.
 The villi are tiny finger-like projections of the mucosal layer into the intestinal
lumen, about 0.5 to 1 mm long.
 Their walls consist of columnar epithelial cells, or enterocytes, with tiny microvilli
(1 μm long) on their free border.
Functions of the small intestine
 The small intestine is the part of the intestines where 90% of the digestion and
absorption of food occurs, the other 10% taking place in the stomach and large
intestine.
 The main function of the small intestine is the absorption of nutrients and
minerals from food.
F. The Large Intestine
 It absorbs water and mineral salts
 Its lumen is larger than that of the small intestine. .

Functions of the large intestine, rectum and anal canal

Absorption
 The contents of the ileum which pass through the ileocaecal valve into the
caecum are fluid, even though some water has been absorbed in the small
intestine.
 In the large intestine absorption of water continues until the familiar semisolid
consistency of feces is achieved.
 Mineral salts, vitamins, and some drugs are also absorbed into the blood
capillaries from the large intestine.

Accessory Organs of The Human Digestive System

 Various secretions are poured into the alimentary tract, some by glands in the
lining membrane of the organs, e.g. gastric juice secreted by glands in the lining
of the stomach, and some by glands situated outside the tract.
 The latter are the accessory organs of digestion and their secretions pass through
ducts to enter the tract. They consist of:
1. 3 pairs of salivary glands
2. Pancreas

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 3. Liver and the biliary tract.
 The organs and glands are linked physiologically as well as anatomically.

A. The Salivary glands

Image Source: BruceBlaus.

 Salivary glands are present in the oral cavity and pour their secretions into the
mouth.
Saliva is the combined secretions from the salivary glands and the small mucus-
secreting glands of the lining of the oral cavity. About 1.5 liters of saliva is produced
daily and it consists of:
 water
 mineral salts
 enzyme: salivary amylase
 mucus
 lysozyme
 immunoglobulins
 blood-clotting factors.

B. The Pancreas

Image Source: BruceBlaus.

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  The pancreas is a pale grey gland weighing about 60 grams.
 and the tail lies in front of the left kidney and just reaches the spleen.
Functions of the Pancreas
As part of the exocrine system, the pancreas secretes enzymes that work in tandem with
bile from the liver and gallbladder to help break down substances for proper digestion
and absorption.
Enzymes produced by the pancreas for digestion include:
 lipase to digest fats
 amylase to digest starch
 The pancreas produces enzymes as soon as food reaches the stomach.
 These enzymes travel through a series of ducts until they reach the main
pancreatic duct.
 The main pancreatic duct meets the common bile duct, which carries bile from
the gallbladder and liver towards the duodenum. This meeting point is called
the ampulla of Vater.
 Bile from the gallbladder and enzymes from the pancreas are released into the
duodenum to help digest fats, carbohydrates, and proteins so they can be
absorbed by the digestive system.
Endocrine Function
As part of the endocrine system, the pancreas secretes two main hormones that are
vital to regulating glucose (also known as blood sugar) level:
Insulin. The pancreas secretes this hormone to lower blood glucose when levels get
too high.
Glucagon: The pancreas secretes this hormone to increase blood glucose when levels
get too low.

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Image Source: Jiju Kurian Punnoose.
C. The Liver
 The liver is the largest gland in the body, weighing between 1 and 2.3 kg.
Functions of the liver
 Secretion of bile. The hepatocytes synthesize the constituents of bile from the
mixed arterial and venous blood in the sinusoids. These include bile salts, bile
pigments, and cholesterol.
 Carbohydrate metabolism. Conversion of glucose to glycogen in the presence
of insulin, and converting liver glycogen back to glucose in the presence of
glucagon. These changes are important regulators of the blood glucose level.
 Fat metabolism. Desaturation of fat i.e. converts stored fat to a form in which it
can be used by the tissues to provide energy.
 Protein metabolism. Deamination of amino acids removes the nitrogenous
portion from the amino acids not required for the formation of new protein;
urea is formed from this nitrogenous portion which is excreted in the urine.
 It also breaks down the genetic material of worn-out cells of the body to form
uric acid which is excreted in the urine.
 Transamination — removes the nitrogenous portion of amino acids and attaches
it to other carbohydrate molecules forming new non-essential amino acids.

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  Synthesis of plasma proteins and most of the blood clotting factors from the
available amino acids occur in the liver.
 Breakdown of erythrocytes and defense against microbes. This is carried out
by phagocytic Kupffer cells (hepatic macrophages) in the sinusoids.
 Detoxification of drugs and noxious substances. These include ethanol (alcohol)
and toxins produced by microbes.
 Metabolism of ethanol.
 Inactivation of hormones. These include insulin, glucagon, cortisol, aldosterone,
thyroid, and sex hormones.
 Synthesis of vitamin A from carotene. (Carotene is the provitamin found in
some plants, e.g. carrots and green leaves of vegetables).
 Production of heat. The liver uses a considerable amount of energy, has a high
metabolic rate, and produces a great deal of heat. It is the main heat-producing
organ of the body.
 It is involved in the storage of:
 fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E, K
 iron, copper
 some water-soluble vitamins, e.g. riboflavin, niacin,
 pyridoxine, folic acid, and vitamin B12.

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