Human digestive system vitamin from the acidic stomach contents. Once in the more neutral duodenum, pancreatic enzymes break down the protective glycoprotein. The freed vitamin B12 then binds to intrinsic factor which is then absorbed by the enterocytes in the ileum. The stomach is a distensible organ and can normally expand to hold about one litre of food. This expansion is enabled by a series of gastric folds in the inner walls of the stomach. The stomach of a newborn baby will only be able to expand to retain about 30 ml. The spleen breaks down both red and white blood cells that
Digestive system of humpback whales digest the chitin in the exoskeletons of krill and prey swallowed whole. The duodenal ampulla can be described as the atrium of the small intestine and is a dilated sac forming the beginning of the duodenum. The duodenum prepares many nutrients from the digested matter (chyme), for absorption, which takes place in the intestines, and is the principal site for iron absorption. Digestive system of humpback whales The digestive system of humpback whales ("Megaptera novaeangliae") is adapted to digest tiny crustaceans such as krill, plankton, and small fish (including herring and mackerel) which the whale filters from the ocean using