(N/A) The human digestive system consists of the alimentary canal and associated digestive glands.
The alimentary canal begins with an anterior opening—the mouth,and it opens out posteriorly through the anus.
The mouth leads to the oral cavity or buccal cavity. The oral cavity has a number of teeth and a muscular tongue.
The pharynx serves as a common passage for food and air. The oesophagus and the trachea (wind pipe) open into the pharynx.
$A$ cartilaginous flap called epiglottis prevents the entry of food into the glottis—opening of the wind pipe—during swallowing.
The oesophagus is a thin,long tube which extends posteriorly passing through the neck,thorax and diaphragm and leads to a '$J$' shaped bag-like structure called stomach.
The stomach leads to the small intestine,which is distinguishable into three regions—a '$C$' shaped duodenum,a long coiled middle portion jejunum and a highly coiled ileum.
The opening of the stomach into the duodenum is guarded by the pyloric sphincter.
Ileum opens into the large intestine. It consists of caecum,colon and rectum. The caecum is a small blind sac which hosts some symbiotic micro-organisms. $A$ narrow finger-like tubular projection,the vermiform appendix which is a vestigial organ,arises from the caecum.
The caecum opens into the colon. The colon is divided into three parts—an ascending,a transverse and a descending part. The descending part opens into the rectum which opens out through the anus.
The digestive glands associated with the alimentary canal include the salivary glands,the liver and the pancreas.