Alimentary Systems 1 - The Oesophagus and Stomach Flashcards
Define digestion
The process of breaking down macromolecules to allow absorption
Define absorption
The process of moving nutrients and water across a membrane
Define alimentary
Relating to nutrients or sustinance
List the components of the GI system, from superior to inferior
- Parotid gland
- Sublingual gland
- Submandibular gland
- Oesophagus
- Liver
- Gall bladder
- Stomach
- Pancreas
- Small Intestine
- Colon
- Appendix
- Rectum
Describe the layers in the basic gut wall
- Epithelium
- Lamina propria (loose connective tissue)
- Muscularis muscosae
- Submucosa (connective tissue containing nerve plexus)
- Muscularis (smooth muscle containing nerve plexus)
- Serosa/adventitia (connective tissue with/without epithelium)
At which spinal level does the oesophagus start and end
- Starts at C6
- Ends at T10 where it pierces the diaphragm
What is the function of the oesophagus, and how does its structure relate?
- Conduit for food, drink and swallowed secretions from pharynx to stomach
- Non keratinising (wear/tear lining due to extremes of temperature/texture)
- Lubrication (mucus secretion)
What are the sphincters of the oesophagus?
- Upper oesophageal sphincter is skeletal muscle, it opens when we swallow
- Lower oesophageal centre is skeletal and smooth muscle, the swallowing centre of the brain has a smaller effect on this muscle
- Both are tonically active
What muscles are present in the wall of the oesophagus?
- Circular muscles, which constrict like the shutter of a camera
- Longitudinal muscles, which are the outer muscular layer of the oesophagus
What is peristalsis in the oesophagus, and which muscles are involved?
Contraction of the circular muscle which moves the food bolus down the oesophagus
Name the two muscles in the superior oesophageal sphincter
- Constrictor pharyngeal medius - which has commonality with the circular muscle layer of the GI tract
- Constrictor pharynges inferior - which has commonality with the longitudinal muscle layer
Where is the gastro-oesophageal junction, and what is its significance?
- The diaphragm constricts the oesophagus as it transitions to the stomach
- Stratified squamous becomes simple columnar
- Prevents reflux
- Also called the z-line
Why are gastric folds present in the stomach, and what is another name for them?
- Also called rugae
- They allow the stomach to contract and become smaller when food has been digested and in between meals
List the functions of the stomach
- Break food down into smaller particles
- Hold food and release it at a controlled steady rate into the duodenum
- Kill parasites and harmful bacteria
List the regions of the stomach and what they produce.
- Cardiac and pyloric region produce mucus only. These regions are at the entry and exits to the stomach
- Body and fundus, the main parts of the stomach, produce mucus, HCl and pepsinogen
- The antrum produces gastrin