Physiology of Digestion

Having looked at the structure of the alimentary canal and its glands, we now turn to how they work together to digest food. Physiology of digestion covers the processes that simplify food into absorbable form, and it is carried out by two complementary methods:

• Mechanical digestion — the physical movements of the alimentary canal that aid chemical digestion, such as mastication (chewing) by the teeth, churning in the stomach, and peristaltic movements along the gastrointestinal tract. …