Small Intestine Function: Definition, Structure, Parts, Enzymes and Explanations

Small Intestine Function: Definition, Structure, Parts, Enzymes and Explanations – What are the functions of the small intestine? On this occasion About the knowledge.co.id will discuss it, including structure, enzymes and of course other things that also cover it. Let's look at the discussion together in the article below to better understand it

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Small Intestine Function: Definition, Structure, Parts, Enzymes and Explanations

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The small intestine is part of the digestive tract which is located between the stomach and the large intestine. The small intestine is one of the organs that make up the human digestive system. The structure of the small intestine consists of 3 main parts, namely the duodenum (duodenum), empty intestine (jejunum), and absorption intestine (ileum).

In the duodenum there are 2 main duct openings, namely from the pancreatic duct and the gallbladder duct. Meanwhile, in the intestinal tract there are many folds or indentations called intestinal projections or known as villi, which serve to increase the absorption surface.

In addition, there are many enzymes in this part of the small intestine, including enterokinase enzymes, trypsin enzymes, erepsin enzymes, disaccharase enzymes and lipase enzymes. The use of these enzymes is needed to carry out chemical digestion processes in the small intestine.

The function of the small intestine is not only to process food and continue it to the next digestive organ. There are several other benefits and benefits of the small intestine for humans, including absorbing the nutrients and energy contained in food.

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Structure of the Small Intestine

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  Serous Structure

The outermost structure is close to the blood vessels, spleen and nervous tissue. The serous structure of the small intestine is a connective membrane covered by visceral peritoneum. Serosa structures have small airways where serous compounds exit, which function as a lubricant for muscle activity.

• Muscle Structure

The small intestine has smooth muscles that automatically activate without us knowing it. There are 2 types of muscle fibers, namely longitudinal muscle fibers and circular muscle fibers. The combination of the stretching movements of the two muscles will trigger intestinal peristalsis which functions to hold food and enter it into the next digestive organs.

• Submucosal Structure

The submucosal structures are loose connective membrane structures that contain blood vessels, lymphatics, nerves and mucous glands. Blood vessels in the submucosal structures of the small intestine have an important contribution in distributing absorbed food.

• Mucosal Structure

The mucosal structure consists of simple epithelial organs and thin connective membranes. Mucous structures have goblet organs that can get mucus. The mucus is in the form of secretions from all glands obtained from the small intestine.

The structure that is produced by the hormones secretin and enterochirin is called intestinal juice (yes, juice, a kind of fruit drink).

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Parts of the Small Intestine

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  Duodenum (Duodenum)

The duodenum extends from the stomach and connects it to the small intestine and is about 25 to 38 centimeters long, or about 12 fingers long, aligned parallel.

That's why it's called the 12-finger intestine.

The duodenum begins at the bulbo of the duodenum and ends at the ligament of Treitz. The duodenum is a retroperitoneal cell, which is not completely dissolved by the peritoneal membrane. The duodenum is classified as a retroperitoneal cell, because it is not completely locked by the peritoneal membrane.

The standard duodenum pH is near 9, quite alkaline. In the duodenum there are 2 rotation positions, namely from the pancreas and gallbladder. Pancreatic circulation and bile are directly linked to the small intestine, pancreatic juice serves to break down food, while bile functions to break down and destroy fat.

In the small intestine, a histological form called the Brunner's gland is obtained, which secretes alkaline mucus to support suction and neutralize the pH of food.

The result of the destruction of the stomach that enters the duodenum is called Chyme. The duodenum serves to regulate, distribute, break down and destroy the chyme.

• Empty intestine (Jejunum)

The empty intestine is the middle part of the small intestine. The term for the small intestine comes from English, namely the adjective "Jejune" which means hungry. The meaning is strung from Latin, namely the word "Jejunus" which means empty.

The empty intestine is stacked and suspended by the mesentery, where it is stacked makes it possible for the empty intestine to work as long as the digestive process takes place. The empty intestine has a very large surface area so that the seams of the intestine are formed.

On its surface are protrusions in the form of fingers which are pronounced with villi. The bulge serves to inhale food nutrition.

The main uses of the empty intestine are:

• • to decompose nutrients, absorb lipophilic nutrients and absorb water.
  • To distinguish the empty intestine from the duodenum, it is usually seen by the decrease in the Brunner's glands when they penetrate the empty intestine and the increase in the number of villi that are present.

Meanwhile, for measurements to distinguish the empty intestine from the ileum, it is rather difficult to do macroscopically because the components are somewhat the same.

• Absorption Intestine (Ileum)

The absorptive intestine is the last part of the small intestine. And very long.

In the process of digestion in humans, the digestive intestine has a length of between 2 to 4 m. The pH of the ileum is near between 7 to 8.

In the digestive tract, there are components such as protrusions called villi. Just like in the empty intestine, the villi serve to absorb nutrients such as sugars, amino acids, fatty acids, glycerol, vitamins and minerals.

The digestive intestine functions to absorb B vitamins, bile salts and food that is not absorbed in the empty intestine.

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Enzymes in the Small Intestine

• Enterokinase enzyme, which is an enzyme that functions to convert trypsinogen into trypsin.
• Maltase enzyme, which is an enzyme that functions to convert maltose into glucose and galactose.
• Sucrase Enzyme, which is an enzyme that functions to convert sucrose into glucose and fructose.
• Intestinal Lipase Enzyme, which is an enzyme that functions to convert fat into fatty acids and glycerol.
• Enzyme Erepsin or dipeptidase, which is an enzyme that functions to convert peptones into amino acids.
• Disaccharase enzymes, namely enzymes that function to convert disaccharides into monosaccharides.

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Small Intestine Function and Explanation

There are several functions of the small intestine in humans. What follows will explain what the function of the small intestine is in the digestive system in humans as a whole.

• Absorb Nutrition

One of the main functions of the small intestine is to absorb nutrients from food according to the body's needs. Food that is processed and digested, then the nutrients will be absorbed by the thin lining of the small intestine. The nutrients that are absorbed will then be distributed throughout the blood circulation.

Each part of the small intestine absorbs different nutritional contents. For example, the duodenum will absorb minerals such as iron and calcium. In the empty intestine will be absorbed fat, starch and protein. Meanwhile, in the absorption intestine, the nutrients absorbed, for example, are vitamin B12 and bile salts.

• Smoothing Food

One of the functions of the small intestine in the human digestive system is to puree food. The food will enter the small intestine after being digested in the stomach. In the small intestine, food will also be digested so that it becomes smoother until it turns into liquid.

Later, food that has been digested and refined in the small intestine will be processed again by the organs that make up the next digestive system, namely the large intestine.

• Chemical Processes in the Jejenum

The function of the small intestine is also important for carrying out chemical digestion processes. The process of chemical digestion in the small intestine is attempted in the empty intestine or jejunum. Food will lie in the small intestine for about 3-5 hours. During this time, food will be processed by digestive enzymes and bile.

Some of the enzymes that help the process of chemical digestion in the small intestine include peptidase enzymes that convert polypeptides into amino acids, the sucrase enzyme which converts sucrose into glucose and fluctose, the lactase enzyme which converts lactose into glucose and many other enzymes other.

• Creating Substance

The small intestine also plays a role in making certain substances. This function is carried out by one part of the small intestine, namely the duodenum. In this part of the duodenum, there are 2 main channels, namely the bile duct and the pancreatic duct.

The bile duct has a function of channeling bile which is useful for converting fat into an emulsion form. Meanwhile, the pancreatic duct functions to break down several substances such as fats, proteins and carbohydrates with the types of enzymes it has so that food is easily absorbed by the body.

• Absorption of Substances in the Body

The next function of the small intestine is to absorb substances contained in the body. In carrying out this function, there are several sessions that are carried out by the small intestine. Initially, nutrients such as water, minerals, glucose and vitamins will be brought to the liver towards the heart and the whole body.

Then all the vitamins that enter will be carried by the blood. Furthermore, these substances will enter into all blood circulation so that they will be distributed throughout the body.

• Food Spoilage

Like one of the human digestive organs, the small intestine also has an important function, which is to put food down. Of course this is done after the nutrients and energy in the food have been absorbed first. After that, the food will be decomposed by good bacteria in the small intestine.

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