This article – the second in a six-part series on the gastrointestinal tract – describes the role of the stomach in chemical and mechanical digestion, regulation of hunger, eradication of pathogens ...

Stomach acid, primarily hydrochloric acid, plays a vital role in digestion by breaking down food and enabling nutrient absorption. It acts as a crucial defense against harmful microorganisms, ...

The digestive system breaks down food into tiny particles which are absorbed into the blood. These particles provide energy for the body to grow, repair itself and remain healthy. Food that cannot be ...

Taste receptors are specialized proteins that facilitate the sense of taste. There are different groups of receptors for ...

Receptor proteins, expressed on the cell surface or within the cell, bind to different signaling molecules, known as ligands, ...