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Accessory Organs definitions Flashcards

Accessory Organs definitions
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  • Liver
    Largest internal organ responsible for processing absorbed nutrients, storing glucose, and producing bile for fat digestion.
  • Gallbladder
    Small organ beneath the liver that stores bile until it is needed in the small intestine for fat emulsification.
  • Pancreas
    Feather-shaped organ releasing pancreatic juice containing enzymes and bicarbonate into the small intestine.
  • Bile
    Yellow-green fluid produced by the liver that emulsifies fats, enabling digestive enzymes to access and break them down.
  • Bile Salts
    Active components of bile that emulsify fats and are reabsorbed in the small intestine for recycling by the liver.
  • Pancreatic Juice
    Secretion containing bicarbonate and digestive enzymes, neutralizing stomach acid and aiding macronutrient breakdown.
  • Bicarbonate
    Substance in pancreatic juice that neutralizes acidic chyme, raising pH for safe and effective digestion in the small intestine.
  • Pancreatic Amylase
    Enzyme in pancreatic juice that breaks down starches and carbohydrates into simple sugars for absorption.
  • Pancreatic Lipase
    Enzyme in pancreatic juice that digests fats into fatty acids, facilitating their absorption in the small intestine.
  • Pancreatic Protease
    Enzyme in pancreatic juice that breaks down proteins into amino acids for absorption in the small intestine.
  • Duodenum
    First section of the small intestine where chyme mixes with secretions from accessory organs for digestion.
  • Emulsification
    Process by which large fat droplets are broken into smaller ones, increasing surface area for enzyme action.
  • Chyme
    Partially digested, acidic food mixture entering the small intestine from the stomach for further digestion.
  • Absorption
    Process in the small intestine where nutrients and bile salts are taken up into the bloodstream for use or recycling.
  • Macronutrients
    Nutritional components such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins that require enzymatic breakdown for absorption.