The digestive system includes the small intestine, which is the major gastric organ in the human body and is a part of the digestive system. This organ is responsible for the majority of digestive functions. So, the answer to the question, what is the small intestine, is that it is a tubular structure within the abdominal cavity that transports food from the stomach to the colon. Among the gut’s components are the small intestine, the large intestine, and the rectum (rectum = “rectum”). The intestines are responsible for many of the body’s most important processes, including the majority of water and nutrient absorption. It is believed that the small intestines are responsible for 90 percent of all digestive and absorption actions, with the remaining 10 percent taking place in the stomach and large intestines.
Easy Definition Of Digestive System
- The organs that take in food and liquids and break them down into substances that the body can use for energy, growth, and tissue repair are referred to as the digestive organs.
- Waste items that the body is unable to utilise are expelled from the body through bowel motions.
- This system includes the mouth, pharynx (throat), oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, and anus (abdomen).
- It also contains the salivary glands, the liver, the gallbladder, and the pancreas, all of which produce digestive juices and enzymes that aid the body in the digestion of both solid and liquid foods and liquids.
- GI system is another term for the digestive system.
Purpose Of Small Intestine
- The stomach is a long tube-like structure that connects the small intestine to the large intestine.
- It is around 20 feet in length and can be folded numerous times to fit inside the abdomen.
- The duodenum, the jejunum, and the ileum are the three portions that make up the small intestine.
- When food has been digested in the stomach, it helps with the digestion of food that follows.
- It is responsible for the absorption of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, carbs, lipids, and proteins) and water from meals so that they can be utilised by the organism.
- The tiny intestine is considered to be a component of the digestive system.
Components and the Structure
- In addition to being known as the small intestine, the small intestine is also known as the small bowel.
- It is a long, continuous tube that runs from the stomach to the anus.
- It is approximately 20 feet in length and almost an inch in diameter. Because of the enormous surface area of the small intestine on the inside, absorption is enhanced in this organ.
- Meal from the stomach is broken down and disintegrated by the small intestines, which then absorb practically all of the nutrients from the food as a result of this process.
- The small intestine is divided into three sections, which are listed in alphabetical order.
- The duodenum is the initial section of the digestive tract, the jejunum is the middle part, and the ileum is the last part of the tract.
- The duodenum’s function is to bring the first phase of digestion to a conclusion.
What Happens to the Food Once It Enters the Small Intestine?
Protease and carbohydrate digestion begins in the stomach and is completed in the small intestine with the assistance of pancreatic and intestinal fluids. Lipids, on the other hand, pass through the digestive system undigested. Because of the interaction of pancreatic juice and intestinal juice, a liquid medium has been created that aids in the absorption of nutrients. The digestive enzymes are secreted from the plasma membrane of microvilli, which is found on the surface of the cell membrane. Chemical digestion necessitates the production of chyme and the mixing of chyme with pancreatic juice and bile. It aids in the elevation of the chyme’s low pH, which is beneficial.
Functions Of Small Intestine
A large number of functions are performed by the small intestine due to its importance in the body’s digestion. The Small Intestines are responsible for the majority of digestion digestion:-
- The duodenum is responsible for the absorption of partially digested food, as well as other digestive juices from the liver, pancreas, and its walls.
- The liver secretes bile fluids, which are responsible for converting fat into easily absorbable liquid.
- The pancreas produces pancreatic juice, which aids in the breakdown of lipids into fatty acids and glycerol by the body.
- The small intestine’s walls also create intestinal juice, which breaks down starch and carbs into a simple form of sugar known as glucose, and proteins into amino acids, resulting in the breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose.
- The small intestines are responsible for the absorption of digested food.
- This material is subsequently transported to various locations throughout the body, where it provides strength.
- The breakdown of glucose results in the transformation of oxygen and carbon dioxide, both of which are essential components of respiration.
- Each component of the small intestine is responsible for a specific function that it must do.
Conclusion
It is part of your digestive system to have a tiny gut. It is a component of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which is a long channel that food travels through in your body to be absorbed. When food passes through your stomach, it is sent to the small intestine, also known as the small bowel. The small bowel connects to the large bowel, which is also known as the colon or the large intestine. The intestines are in charge of breaking down food, absorbing nutrients from it, and solidifying waste produced during digestion. Located in the lower digestive tract, the small intestine is the longest section and is where the majority of your digestion takes place.