Welcome to the unit on the digestive system and metabolism. Here you will begin to explore the anatomy and physiology of how we eat, digest what we eat, take in the nutrients we want, and produce feces. How is that for simplifying digestion :). Structure always determines function, but you really should pay attention to that as you look at the anatomy of the digestive tract and explore how our body chemically and mechanically digests the food. As for metabolism, that should be a short review of how we create and utilize ATP. Think back to that lovely topic of Cellular Respiration that you really, really loved in General Biology. Below is a list of the main outcomes for this week and an intro video. We will not be having class this week as our basketball team is on the road for our first game of the season. I will be posting some cadaver videos as well as there is already a cadaver lab tour of the digestive system, but this is from somewhere else. The in class quiz will be available for completion online. I will be on campus until Wednesday this week for any help you might need. Appreciate all of your hard work so far this quarter - keep up the great work. Enough of my words, here are the outcomes and the intro video. Have a great week.

Learning Outcomes:

Trace the path of food through the alimentary canal (gastrointestinal tract) and identify each structure it passes including sphincters and regions of the small and large intestines.
Describe the structure and functions of each of the digestive organs in the GI tract, including major tissues and their roles.
Identify the accessory digestive organs and explain their function – you are not responsible for classifying teeth or tooth anatomy.
Discuss the process of digestion, and where each activity occurs: ingestion, propulsion, mechanical or physical digestion, chemical digestion, absorption, and defecation.
Explain nervous system controls involved in digestion. (Enteric System could help you in this)
Discuss where the following hormones are produced and their action: gastrin, somatostatin, secretin, cholecystokinin (CCK), gastric inhibitory peptide, ghrelin.
Describe the process of deglutition (swallowing), including the roles of the tongue, upper esophageal sphincter, and epiglottis.
List the four main types of secreting cells in gastric glands, and their important products.
Explain the role of the pancreas in digestion – list the substances produced by the pancreas and their functions.
Compare where and how the major types of macromolecules are digested and absorbed; include the enzymes and other chemicals involved.
Make sure to understand the pepsinogen, pepsin, pH, and amino acids feedback loop in the stomach.
Compare and contrast absorption of glucose, amino acids, and triglycerides (long chain fatty acids and monoglycerides).
Describe the hepatic portal system.