1 - Gastrointestinal Physiology Overview PPT Flashcards
(Eat and Excrete)
What are the four main functions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract?
Ingestion, Digestion, Absorption, Excretion
Acronym: “IDAE”
What is the hard palate?
The roof of the oral cavity (aka the mouth)
What role does the hard palate play in an infant’s ingestion?
Helps create a vacuum effect for suckling milk
What enzyme do infants secrete to break down milk fat?
Lingual lipase
What is the uvula’s role in digestion?
The uvula secretes saliva to moisten the throat
What are the three salivary glands?
Sublingual gland (below the tongue)
Submandibular gland (below the mandible)
Parotid gland
Mnemonic: Saliva Still Pours
What enzyme is within saliva to break down long carbs into small sugars?
Salivary amylase
What is the mass of mechanically chewed food mixed with saliva and enzymes called?
a BOLUS!!! (vine boom and airhorn)
Where on earth does that dang BOLUS go after it is swallowed through the pharynx?
Into the esophagus
What structure blocks off the airway allowing the BOLUS to move into the esophagus?
The epiglottis
Where does digestion start?
The mouth
What’s the first layer of the GI tract?
Adventitia/serosa
What is the adventitia/serosa composed of?
Thick, fibrous connective tissue and a slippery serous membrane
What’s the second layer of the GI tract?
Muscularis externa
What is the muscularis externa composed of?
Smooth muscle
What is the function of muscularis externa?
Moves BOLUS down the GI tract by constricting two muscle groups
What two muscle groups are used to move that frickin’ BOLUS down the GI tract?
Inner circular m. layer and an outer longitudinal m. layer
What is the term for a series of coordinated, wave-like muscle contractions that squeeze the BOLUS in one direction?
Peristalsis
What plexus is located between the two layers of the muscularis externa?
Myenteric plexus (aka Auerbach’s plexus)
What is the function of the Myenteric plexus (aka Auerbach’s plexus)?
Coordinates muscle contraction and relaxation
(Contraction-relaxion)
What’s the third layer of the GI tract?
Submucosa
What is contained within the submucosa?
Blood vessels
Lymphatics
Nerves
What plexus is located in the submucosa?
Submucous plexus (aka Meissner’s plexus)
What is the function of the Submucous plexus (aka Meissner’s plexus)?
Controls the size of blood vessels and the secretion of digestive juices