Student Name:
Access Code (located on the lid of your lab kit): AC-AQW1GW
Lab Report Format Expectations
Utilize college level grammar and professional formatting when completing this worksheet.
Submissions without proper formatting, all required photos or sufficient responses will be rejected. Pre-
lab Questions
1. Explain the digestion that occurs in the oral cavity.
In the oral cavity, digestion begins with the mechanical action of chewing, which breaks down
food into smaller pieces. Additionally, enzymes present in saliva initiate the chemical breakdown
of food molecules.
2. What is the function of the liver in digestion?
The liver is essential for digestion as it produces bile, aiding in the breakdown and absorption of
fats in the small intestine through a process called emulsification.
3. What role does the gall bladder play in digestion?
The gallbladder serves as a reservoir for bile, a fluid crucial for digesting and absorbing fats in
the small intestine. When fatty foods are ingested, the gallbladder contracts, releasing bile into
the small intestine, where it emulsifies fats, aiding in their digestion by making them more
accessible to digestive enzymes.
4. Why is the orientation of muscle of the stomach wall important? How does this contribute to its
function?
The arrangement of muscles in the stomach wall enables effective mixing and propulsion of
food, which assists in digestion and facilitates the breakdown and absorption of nutrients.
EXPERIMENT 1: MICROSCOPIC ANATOMY OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Introduction Questions
1. Label the items in the following slide pictures.
A. lamina propria
B. epithelia
C. submucosa
D. mucosal glands
, Lab 16 The Digestive System BIO202L
E. muscularis interna