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4.7: Key Terms

  • Page ID
    90994
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    absorption
    the process of cells taking in digested substances
    amylase
    an enzyme that helps to break down carbohydrates
    bile
    a fluid created in the liver that aids in digestion of food in the duodenum
    carboxypeptidase
    an enzyme that helps to breakdown fats
    cholecystokinin
    a hormone produced by the small intestine that triggers the pancreas and gallbladder to contract when fats and proteins enter
    chyme
    a mix of gastric juices and digested food
    chymotrypsinogen
    an enzyme that breaks down proteins into smaller particles
    digestion
    the breakdown of solid food that includes both mechanical and chemical actions to form smaller, more absorbable substances in the body’s gastrointestinal tract
    dysbiosis
    a disruption to the microbiome resulting in an imbalance in the microbiota of the intestines
    elastase
    an enzyme that helps break down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates
    fistula
    a condition in which two body parts are abnormally connected
    frenulum
    the small tissue beneath the tongue that provides support
    gastrin
    a peptide hormone that regulates gastric motility, gastric secretion of stomach acid, and gastric mucosal growth
    guaiac test
    a test that confirms the presence of blood in stool
    homeostasis
    a balanced state in the body that allows for proper function
    ingestion
    the first step of the digestive process that involves bringing food and liquids into the body through the mouth
    insulin
    a hormone that assists in the absorption of glucose into cells for energy usage
    intrinsic factor
    a glycoprotein required for vitamin B12 absorption in the small intestine
    lipase
    an enzyme that helps to break down fats
    mastication
    chewing action of the mouth
    meconium
    the first stool passed by a newborn
    melena
    dark, black, or sticky feces
    metabolism
    the part of digestion in which the body converts absorbed substances into energy
    nucleases
    an enzyme that breaks down nucleic acid chains
    pepsin
    an enzyme that begins to break down proteins in the stomach
    protease
    an enzyme that breaks down proteins
    somatostatin
    a hormone that regulates stomach acid secretion during digestion
    succussion splash
    a sloshing or splashing sound heard on auscultation of the abdomen due to excessive fluid remaining in the stomach
    trypsinogen
    an enzyme that helps break down fats into amino acids
    tympany
    a resonant, hollow sound potentially heard during percussion
    uvula
    the fleshy extension that hangs at the back of the throat and at the end of the soft palate

    This page titled 4.7: Key Terms is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by OpenStax via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.

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