Introduction:

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the organs functionally associated with it, principally the liver and pancreas, are responsible for digestion and absorption of food. Digestion is the process by which food is broken down into components simple enough to be absorbed in the intestine. Absorption is the uptake of the products of digestion by intestinal cells (enterocytes) and their delivery to blood or lymph. Digestion and absorption of nutrients are closely linked and are regulated by the nervous system, hormones and paracrine factors. The physical presence of food particles in the GI tract also stimulates these processes.

course prerequisite:

the student must review from the previous year courses(103) the basic biochemistry of nutrients , thier structure and function for better understanding of this course

Learning outcomes: 

By the end of this course ,the learner will be able to:

• Explain the processes of digestion and absorption
• Explain the specialized functions of the organs involved in processing food in the body
• Describe the ways in which organs work together to digest food and absorb nutrients
• Describe the essential nutrients required for cellular function that cannot be synthesized by the human body
• Describe how excess nutrients and energy are stored in the body
• Describe diseases associated with abnormalities in the processes of digestion&absorption.

Recommended text books: 

1. Lippincott's biochemistry 

2. Mukhtar Ahmed Hashmi's essential biochemistry

3. Medical biochemistry vol II by Dr mushtaq Ahmed 

Exam evaluation:

at the end of this course an assessment test comprisig of two parts; theory(MCQs&SEQs) and viva will be conducted and the result will add up to the annual internal assessment  of the student