# 52 Human alimentary canal

The alimentary canal is a long tube which stars at the mouth, runs through the stomach and intestines  and finishes at the anus. It is part of the digestive system. The digestive system also includes the accessory organs (teeth, tongue, gallbladder, salivary glands, liver, the pancreas).

Main regions of the alimentary canal and associated organs are:

• Mouth, salivary glands
• Oesophagus
• Stomach
• Pancreas, liver, gall bladder
• Small intestine (duodenum + ileum)
• Large intestine (colon +rectum)
• Anus.

Food is broken down with the help of digestive juices, which contain special chemicals called enzymes.

Functions of the regions of the digestive system:

Common misconceptions

The liver does not make digestive enzymes- bile is not an enzyme. It breaks fat down into smaller droplets, but does not change them chemically.

The fat mollecules stay the same size, it is just the droplet size that changes from large to small due to the action of bile. 

Additional source: classes.midlandstech.com