The Digestive System

"The alimentary canal is located in the northern part of Indiana."

"A permanent set of teeth consists of eight canines, eight cuspids, two molars, and eight cuspidors."


Starting with the mouth...

Pharynx

J.A. Gosling et al., 1985. Atlas of Human Anatomy with integrated text. J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia. fig. 7.45

Review parts for respiratory system and note the location of the esophagus off the pharynx. Review teeth (not shown).

...we move down to the stomach...

Abdomen

J.W. Rohen and Yokochi, C., 1983. Color Atlas of Anatomy. Igaku-Shoin, New York, N.Y. pgs. 279.

Identify numbered structures. Follow the flow of digesting food from the pyloric sphincter to the sigmoid colon.

Stomach

J.A. Gosling et al., 1985. Atlas of Human Anatomy with integrated text. J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia. fig 4.29.

Identify labeled structures. The hepatogastric and hepatoduodenal ligaments are the two parts of what structure?

...and into the small intestine.

Duodenum and Ducts

J.A. Gosling et al., 1985. Atlas of Human Anatomy with integrated text. J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia. fig 4.42.

Identify labeled structures. The common hepatic duct is formed from what two ducts merging?

Liver (Upside Down and Backwards)

J.W. Rohen and Yokochi, C., 1983. Color Atlas of Anatomy. Igaku-Shoin, New York, N.Y. pgs. 287.

Note the directional weirdness, superior is down. Identify the labeled structures. Name all structures bringing "stuff" into the liver, and what "stuff" each structure is bringing. Do the same for the stuff exiting the liver.

Laytex Cast of Liver (Also Upside Down and Backwards)

R. M. H. McMinn, et al., 1993. Color Atlas of Human Anatomy, Third Edition. Mosby-Wolfe, London. pg. 225.

Note: Yellow is digestive enzyme including bile. Blue is blood leaving liver. White is hepatic portal blood. Red is hepatic artery blood. Find all the structures you found in the liver above. Follow blood from the abdominal aorta through the intestines and back to the heart.

Now we go from the duodenum to the jejunum and ileum...

Small Intestine

J.W. Rohen and Yokochi, C., 1983. Color Atlas of Anatomy. Igaku-Shoin, New York, N.Y. pgs. 295.

Orient yourself. We're looking at the intestines from underneath now. Find the appropriate numbers for the following: falciform ligament, left lobe of liver, duodenum, mesentery proper, jejunum, ileum, cecum, appendix, descending colon, sigmoid colon, and rectum. Yes I do expect you to be able to find them all (...well, maybe the cecum is a little hard...)!

Intestinal Lining

J.W. Rohen and Yokochi, C., 1983. Color Atlas of Anatomy. Igaku-Shoin, New York, N.Y. pgs. 281.

Note the villi and serosa layer.

Histology of Intestinal Lining

Frithjof Hammersen, M.D., 1985. Sobotta/Hammersen Histology, Color Atlas of Microscopic Anatomy. Urban & Schwarzenberg, Baltimore. pgs. 148.

Note that this is a longitudinal cut through the small intestine. So the inner circular muscle does not look "smooth" and the outer longitudinal muscle does not look like dots as in our slides. Find the simple columnar epithelium, lamina propria, muscularis mucosa, submucosa (is more than is shown with label), muscularis with inner circular and outer longitudinal muscles. Serosa is not shown.

Histology of Villi

Photo by Marian Rice, Micrograph Transparencies for the Life Sciences, 1990. The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company, Inc.

Note the simple columnar epithelium and lamina propria. These are the two inner layers of the mucosa.

...and on into the large intestine.

Small Intestine (in place) with Large Intestine

J.W. Rohen and Yokochi, C., 1983. Color Atlas of Anatomy. Igaku-Shoin, New York, N.Y. pgs. 293.

Find numbers associated with the following: cecum, tenia coli of cecum, sigmoid colon, greater omentum, transverse mesocolon, transverse colon, tenia coli of transverse colon, epiploic appendages, and the hard ones...ileum and jejunum. Between which of these structures would we find the splenic flexure? The omental bursa?

Colon with features

J.W. Rohen and Yokochi, C., 1983. Color Atlas of Anatomy. Igaku-Shoin, New York, N.Y. pgs. 281.

Identify the labeled structures.

Colon Radiograph

R. M. H. McMinn, et al., 1993. Color Atlas of Human Anatomy, Third Edition. Mosby-Wolfe, London. pg. 219.

Identify the labeled structures starting with #1 (white). Leave out 3 and 7. Hint: 9 is the ileum. Then, put them in order as to the flow of digestion.


Please e-mail me with comments or suggestions. Last updated: 28 Oct, 1996.

kla@rivers.oscs.montana.edu