DigestiveSystemReview
Subject:
Biology [1]
Tags:
Orientation: Digestive System Graphics are used with permission of: Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings (http://www.aw-bc.com) The gastrointestinal (GI) or digestive system digests food and transports (absorbs) nutrients (including salts and water) into the blood. Digestion involves breaking down foods both chemically and mechanically into smaller components that can be transported (absorbed) through the digestive tract wall (epithelium) and into the blood (most breakdown products) or lymph (for fat breakdown products). Many secretions of the digestive system together with the muscular action of the GI tract are necessary to complete digestion.