The Digestive System Glossary of Terms

acid
Any of a large class of sour-tasting substances whose aqueous solutions are capable of turning blue litmus indicators red, of reacting with and dissolving certain metals to form salts, and of reacting with bases or alkalis to form salts.
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anus
The opening at the lower end of the alimentary canal through which solid waste
is eliminated from the body
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bile
A bitter, alkaline, brownish-yellow or greenish-yellow fluid that is secreted by the liver, stored in the gallbladder, and discharged into the duodenum and aids in the emulsification, digestion, and absorption of fats.
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bloodstream
The flow of blood through the circulatory system of an organism
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con·sti·pate
To clog or make sluggish; obstruct
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di·ar·rhe·a
Excessive and frequent evacuation of watery feces, usually indicating
gastrointestinal distress or disorder.
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en·zyme
Any of numerous proteins or conjugated proteins produced by living organisms and functioning as biochemical catalysts.
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esophagus
The portion of the digestive canal between the pharynx and stomach, consisting
of a cervical part from the cricoid cartilage to the thoracic inlet, a thoracic
part from the thoracic inlet to the diaphragm, and an abdominal part below the
diaphragm to the stomach.
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fat
Any of various soft, solid, or semisolid organic compounds constituting the esters of glycerol and fatty acids and their associated organic groups.
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fe·ces
Waste matter eliminated from the bowels; excrement.
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gall·blad·der
A small, pear-shaped muscular sac, located under the right lobe of the liver, in which bile secreted by the liver is stored until needed by the body for digestion.
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Large intestine
beginning with the cecum and ending with the rectum; includes the cecum and the
colon and the rectum; extracts moisture from food residues which are later
excreted as feces
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liv·er
A large, reddish-brown, glandular vertebrate organ located in the upper right portion of the abdominal cavity that secretes bile and is active in the formation of certain blood proteins and in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
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min·er·al
A naturally occurring, homogeneous inorganic solid substance having a definite chemical composition and characteristic crystalline structure, color, and hardness.
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mucus
protective secretion of the mucous membranes; in the gut it lubricates the
passage of food and protects the epithelial cells; in the nose and throat and
lungs it can make it difficult for bacteria to penetrate the body through the
epithelium
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protecting
shielding (or designed to shield) against harm or discomfort;
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pro·tein
Any of numerous naturally occurring extremely complex substances (as an enzyme or antibody) that consist of amino acid residues joined by peptide bonds, contain the elements carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, usually sulfur, and occas. other elements (as phosphorus or iron), that are essential constituents of all living cells, that are synthesized from raw materials by plants but assimilated as separate amino acids by animals, that are both acidic and basic and usually colloidal in nature although many have been crystallized, and that are hydrolyzable by acids, alkalies, proteolytic enzymes, and putrefactive bacteria to polypeptides, to simpler peptides, and ultimately to alpha-amino acids CRUDE PROTEIN
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rec·tum
The terminal portion of the large intestine, extending from the sigmoid colon to
the anal canal.
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small intestine
The narrow, winding, upper part of the intestine where digestion is completed and nutrients are absorbed by the blood. It extends from the pylorus to the cecum and consists of the duodenum, the jejunum, and the ileum.
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tis·sue
An aggregation of morphologically similar cells and associated intercellular matter acting together to perform one or more specific functions in the body. There are four basic types of tissue: muscle, nerve, epidermal, and connective.
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vi·ta·min
Any of various fat-soluble or water-soluble organic substances essential in minute amounts for normal growth and activity of the body and obtained naturally from plant and animal foods.
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waste
The undigested residue of food eliminated from the body; excrement.
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