All pancreatic enzymes are released as inactive enzymes, or proenzymes, into the small intestine. Enterokinase is an enzyme that activates trypsin in the small intestine. Once activated, trypsin is able to activate the rest of the pancreatic enzymes. Trypsin activates chymotrypsin to digest proteins and pancreatic amylase to digest carbohydrates. Ribonuclease is used to break down old RNA in the cytoplasm of cells, and is not a pancreatic digestive enzyme.

The large intestine, or colon, has the major function of water and electrolyte reabsorption. If this function is inhibited, by a pathogen for example, the body cannot retain water and becomes dehydrated.

Enzyme secretion occurs in the duodenum of the small intestine, where digestive enzymes from the pancreas are released. Protein digestion primarily occurs in the small intestine, but begins in the stomach. The stomach and mouth are primarily responsible for mechanical digestion.

Blood that is rich in nutrients from digestion is collected in various mesenteric veins and then passes through the portal vein directly into the liver, where the nutrients are metabolized. The portal vein supplies about two thirds of the blood to the liver. The hepatic artery supplies the other third. The cisterna chyli collects lymph, not blood, and the femoral vein is associated with the leg.

Critical to proper digestion, bile and pancreatic juices must enter the intestine rather early so that they have ample time to digest foods passing by. After preliminary protein digestion in the stomach, food passes through the pyloric sphincter into the duodenum. The pyloric sphincter simply separates the stomach from the small intestine. The duodenum serves as the main region of chemical digestion in the body. It is in this region that bile and pancreatic enzymes are introduced. Food undergoing digestion subsequently passes through the jejunum, the ileum and the colon, or large intestine. These regions are mostly used for absorption of nutrients and water, rather than chemical digestion.

In the digestive system, food is broken apart mechanically (by the teeth), then chemically (by the stomach). Food then travels to the intestines, where nutrients are absorbed and water is removed from the gut tube, leaving only the waste. The waste is then eliminated from the body. Production of gametes is the function of the reproductive system, and does not take place in the digestive system.

The small intestine has three parts: the duodenum, jejunum and ileum. Note that the ilium is one of the three bones that makes up the pelvis. The small intestine is the primary site of nutrient absorption. Whatever is not absorbed by the small intestine will then be absorbed my the large intestine (mainly water and vitamins). The stomach produces hydrochloric acid, which, like all acids, decrease the pH of their environment below 7.

The chemical digestion of food is facilitated by the secretion of the hormone gastrin, which stimulates the secretion of hydrochloric acid. Insulin is secreted by the pancreas in response to high levels of blood glucose. Glucagon is secreted in response to low levels of blood glucose. Aldosterone is secreted by the adrenal cortex and increases reabsorption of salt in the kidney, subsequently increasing water retention and blood volume. Thyroxine is secreted by the thyroid and increases the metabolic rate of most body cells. 

This is a fundamental question that checks for clear understanding of the purpose of the digestive system. The digestive system includes the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. The primary functions of these structures are to break down and absorb nutrients from ingested food.

The respiratory system is responsible for providing a site for gas exchange (namely the alveoli). The circulatory system delivers oxygen to tissues, while the excretory system removes nitrogenous wastes and maintains water balance via kidney function.

It is important to know sites of production and action of the digestive enzymes. In the stomach, the very low pH environment facilitates gastric enzyme function, so we can already assume that an acidic compound is involved in the stomach.

HCl, or hydrochloric acid, is the acidic compound released by parietal cells and functions to kill microorganisms, digest acid labile substances, and activate pepsinogen to create pepsin.

The second main digestive compound of the stomach is pepsin, a protease, which digests amino acids into smaller peptides. It is released as a zymogen, or inactive form, by chief cells before it is activated to pepsin. The inactive form of pepsin is called pepsinogen.

Bile is a substance produced by the liver, stored by the gall bladder, and secreted into the duodenum of the small intestine for emulsification of fat globules. HCO₃^-, or bicarbonate ion, is a basic substance released by the pancreas into the duodenum to neutralize the entering chyme, reducing acidity to allow for optimal enzyme activity in the duodenum. Neither bile, nor bicarbonate are active in the stomach.

The stomach contains the enzyme pepsin, which helps sever the peptide bonds between amino acids and breaks protein molecules into smaller fragments. As the contents of the stomach enters the small intestine, more digestive enzymes are added to further digest the proteins; however, the first step occurs in the stomach.

It is important to note that the mouth is the first location at which carbohydrates are digested, due to the protein amylase found in saliva.