The Stomach's Role in Digestion: Storage & Mechanical Breakdown
The stomach performs six essential digestive functions:
- Food Storage: Expandable reservoir for gradual digestion, preventing overeating.
- Mechanical Digestion: Churning/mixing with gastric juices reduces particle size for enzymatic action.
- Acid Secretion: Hydrochloric acid denatures proteins, aids enzymatic breakdown, kills microbes.
- Enzyme Production: Pepsin (protein digestion), gastric lipase, gelatinase (fat/collagen).
- Chyme Formation: Semi-liquid mix of partially digested food and gastric juices.
- Gastric Emptying: Hormonal/neural control of pyloric sphincter regulates chyme passage to small intestine.
These functions prepare food for nutrient absorption in the small intestine.
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