Digestive Basics
The general process of breaking down food into a form the body can use.
Digestion
The long, muscular tube that carries food from the pharynx down to the stomach.
Esophagus
The largest organ inside the body that produces bile and recycles old red blood cells
Liver
The pair of bean-shaped organs whose main job is to filter the blood.
Kidneys
The drug found in coffee and tea that forces the kidneys to lose more water.
Caffeine
Tear apart coarse fruits, vegetables, and meats.
Cuspids
The J-shaped, elastic muscular bag that receives food and begins the digestion of protein.
Stomach
The hormone, or chemical messenger, made by the pancreas to regulate blood sugar
Insulin
The expandable pouch that acts as a temporary storage tank for liquid waste.
Bladder
The official name for the liquid waste product produced after the kidneys filter the blood.
Urine
This is the process where nutrients pass from the small intestine into the bloodstream.
Absorption
The 20-foot-long coiled tube of muscle where most digestion and absorption takes place.
Small Intestine
The digestive juice produced in the mouth that moistens food and starts chemical digestion.
Saliva
The pair of tubes that transport urine from the kidneys to the storage pouch.
Ureters
A specialist who treats all parts of the urinary system and performs surgeries.
Urologist
These tiny, finger-like structures line the small intestine to increase the area for nutrient absorption.
Villi
The final organ in the canal where water is absorbed and solid waste is prepared for removal.
Large Intestine
The powerful digestive juice produced by the organ located between the stomach and small intestine.
Pancreatic Juice
Replacing water that has been lost from the body
hydration
A specialist who specifically treats the kidneys and does not perform surgeries.
Nephrologist
The wave-like muscular contractions that push food through the digestive tube.
Peristalsis
The collective name for the entire long, muscular tube from the mouth to the large intestine.
Alimentary Canal
The small pouch that stores bile until it is needed to break down fats.
Gallbladder
The general process of removing unneeded substances, including liquid waste, from the body.
Excretion
The microscopic filtering units found inside the kidneys that do the actual work of cleaning the blood.
Nephrons