Assignment #1
#1 (3 points)
• What happens when levels of ghrelin are low? Why? o The stomach secretes the hormone ghrelin when the body is hungry and in need of nutrients. Ghrelin levels are low when the stomach is full and trying to tell the body to stop eating.
• What happens in a normal weight person when levels of leptin are low? Why? o Low levels of leptin in a normal weight person would increase appetite because the adipose cells are saying they can take in more fat.
• What might be happening in an obese person when levels of leptin are high? Why? o High levels of leptin in an obese person lower a person’s appetite because the adipose cells are saying they are full and cannot take in any more fat.
#2 (1.5 points)
Can a person swallow food if standing on their head? Why or why not?…show more content… #3 (5 points)
Briefly explain the importance of hormones in the digestive process. Identify two different hormones
• Hormones are important in the digestive process because they signal different glands or organs to secrete enzymes into system to aid in digestion. For example, when the hormone secretin is released from the duodenum due to the acidity of the chyme, it signals for the secretion of bicarbonate ions from the panaceas. Another hormone, gastrin signals for the release of HCl from the parietal cells.
#4 (7.5 points) Very briefly describe the role of each of the following terms in the digestive process. (Be certain you have thought of everything the gland/organ might do during
