Digestive Glands

The human body comprises the specific system that performs its task collectively for the smooth functioning of the human body. All the human body system functions with the help of various external and internal organs. The digestive system in humans is one of the critical functional systems which acquire lots of internal and external organs in its functioning. All the human body systems relate to each other on specific grounds. The digestive system in the human body is responsible for the smooth digestion of food intake with various adjacent processes and functions.

Digestive System In Humans:

The digestive system in humans consists of digestive tracts and other assistive organs responsible for absorbing the essential nutrients and micronutrients from the food. The human body’s digestive system is structured from the organs such as gall bladder, gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, and gallbladder.

All these organs are responsible for absorbing the nutrition for every food and liquid that enters the body. The digestive system in humans breaks down the complex food items into digestible compounds, which are easy for digestion in the human body. The nutrients which the digestive system breaks down the food into specific fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and proteins.

Role Of Glands In The Digestive System Of Humans:

Various types of glands play a significant role in the human body’s digestion. The gastrointestinal tract present, in the human body, forms structural connectivity between the mouth and anus. Glands are organs that secrete various juices which help in effective digestion in the human body.

These are duct formed organs with an opening in the human body’s digestive tract. There are several digestive glands connected with the stomach and alimentary canal of the body for the digestive system in humans. All the glands pour the digestion-friendly effective liquid substance, which empowers the digestion.

Below is the description of the digestive glands and their functional significance. Let’s discuss:

• Salivary Glands: 

The tasting of food and its mixing with saliva is conducted by specific salivary glands. These are the primary digestive glands that help in chewing and breaking down the food in its first stage. There are major three types of salivary glands:

• Parotid Glands:

These are among the most prominent salivary glands among salivary glands. It assists in masticating and swallowing the food. It is present around the ear at the lower end of the mouth and secretes saliva through the parotid duct.

• Sublingual Glands:

It is a minor kind of salivary gland located around the oral cavity muscle. It is an encapsulated salivary gland that includes parotid and submandibular glands. The striated duct is absent in this salivary gland, and saliva is secreted in the Rivinus duct.

• Submandibular Glands:

These salivary glands open in the sublingual part under the tongue and are in the mucous membrane. This gland secretes mucus and serous fluid, which moves the oral cavity through the submandibular duct.

• Gastric Glands:

The gastric glands locate themselves in the stomach walls and are in the form of tubular branched digestive glands. There are three major gastric glands present in the human body, parietal cells, mucous cells, and chief cells. According to the studies, adult gastric glands produce around 2 to 3 litres of gastric juices on average.  

• Liver:

The liver is the largest gland of the digestive system in the human body. It holds significant responsibility for the smooth functioning of the digestive system. It is present around the upper right portion of the abdominal cavity behind the diaphragm. 

It functions with two lobes of small and large sizes at the left and right sides of the organ. The small lobe contains quadrant and caudate lobes. The liver weighs around 1.6kg. In general, the liver secretes bile juices for adequate digestion.

• Pancreas:

The pancreas is a digestive gland located behind the stomach. The horizontal structure under the duodenum attains the head, body, and tail. It is present in elongated form with a yellowish appearance and is around 2.5 m wide and 12-15 cm long. The average weight of the pancreas is around 60gms and has endocrine and exocrine nature. It secrets pancreatic juices of around 500 to 800 ml.

• Intestinal Glands:

Several microscopic intestinal glands are present in the small intestine in the mucosa region. Intestinal glands are generally of Brunner’s gland and Lieberkuhn gland. Lieberkuhn glands are the tubular glands and secrete around 2 to 3 litres of intestinal juice. They also secrete digestive enzymes and mucus, which are alkaline in the 7.5 to 8.0 pH range. Brunner’s gland is a branched intestinal gland secreting mucus that helps lubricate and stick the food together.

Conclusion:

Digestive glands are an integral part of the digestive system and play a significant role in digesting complex foods. All the digestive glands are in the digestive structure from mouth to anus. The digestive glands secrete certain digestive juices, which help in the effective digestion process. The digestion is the process of breakdown the complex food into digestible food content. All the digestive glands have significant support in the digestive process.