Process of Breaking Down Food in the Body

The problems posed by nutrients are breaking down the food products which contain them and getting them into the circulation for distribution to the parts of the body where they can be used. Food first enters the mouth, where it is broken down by the teeth, and partially dissolved by the saliva (Applegate, 2000, 331-338). It is then passed through the pharynx and down the esophagus to the stomach where digestion begins. The churning actions of the stomach wall break down food particles, and hydrochloric acid, activates pepsinogen to produce the protein-digesting enzyme pepsin. Gastrin is secreted to regulate gastric activity, mucus is secreted to protect the stomach wall, intrinsic factor is secreted to aid in vitamin B12 absorption, and the bolus of chyme is passed on into the small intestine.

The small intestine is designed to finish the process of digestion begun in the stomach, absorb the nutrients, and pass the residue on to the large intestine (Applegate, 2000, 338). The mucosa and submucosa show circular folds known as plicae circulares which increase the surface ar

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