The Main Highway🚗
The esophagus uses this action to move food.
What is peristalsis?
This is the name of the semi-liquid food mixture produced in the stomach.
What is chyme?
The three sections of the small intestine (in order).
What are duodenum, jejunum, and ileum?
The first part of the large intestine, located just after the ileocecal valve, is called the...
What is the cecum?
The stomach empties chyme into this part of the small intestine.
What is the duodenum?
This acid in the stomach helps break down food and kills bacteria.
What is hydrochloric acid (HCL)?
These fingerlike projections increase the surface area for absorption.
What are villi?
The main function of the large intestine is the absorption of this substance.
What is water?
The midgut is supplied by this major artery.
What is the superior mesenteric artery (SMA)?
This valve separates the small intestine from the large intestine.
What is the ileocecal valve?
The stomach has this extra muscular layer that helps it churn and mix food.
What is the oblique layer of the muscularis externa?
Most nutrient absorption happens in this part of the small intestine.
What is the jejunum?
This small, wormlike structure is attached to the cecum and can become inflamed, leading to a common surgical emergency
What is the appendix?
The inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) supplies this region of the GI tract.
What is the hindgut?
Arrange these in order: jejunum, esophagus, ileum, stomach.
What is: esophagus --> stomach --> jejunum --> ileum?
Digestion of these materials begins here in the stomach.
What are proteins?
These microscopic structures on the villi form the "brush border" and release enzymes for the final steps of digestion.
What are microvilli?
These three longitudinal muscle bands create the haustra, or pouches, of the colon.
What are the teniae coli?
Nutrient-rich blood from the GI tract drains into this vessel before reaching the liver.
The GI tract has four main wall layers. Name them.
What are mucosa, submucosa, muscularis externa, and serosa/adventitia?
Name the four main regions of the stomach.
What are the cardia, fundus, body, and pylorus?
The circular folds of the small intestine that increase surface area are called...
What are plicae circulares?
Arrange these in order: sigmoid colon, transverse colon, ascending colon, descending colon.
What is ascending --> transverse --> descending --> sigmoid?
Name the three unpaired branches of the abdominal aorta that supply the GI tract.
What are the celiac trunk, the superior mesenteric artery, and the inferior mesenteric artery?