Digestion Flashcards
General functions of digestion?
Ingestion/motility
Digestion/secretion
Absorption
Regulation of GI function
What three things control movement of food throughout GI tract?
Intrinsic enteric nervous system
Extrinsic nervous system
Reflexes
At what point does enteric nervous system start along GI tract?
In esophagus
What cells constitute the enteric nervous system?
Pacemaker interstitial cells of cajal
What does cells of cajal dictate?
Maximum frequency/the strength of contractions independent of nerves and hormones
What does the number of spike potentials indicate?
The strength of the contraction
What aspect of the ANS increases peristalsis?
Parasympathetics
What aspect of the extrinsic nervous system is present in GI tract?
Myenteric plexus
Name the 5 types of contractions myenteric plexus causes?
Tonic contractions
Giant migrating complexes
Migratory motor complexes
Mixing contractions
Peristalsis
What territory is vagus nerve responsible for?
Esophagus to splenic flexure of large intestine
What do g ain’t migrating complexes allow for?
Contractions over long distances
What increases giant migrating complexes (like in bowel movements?)
Serotonin
What increases migratory motor complexes?
Motilin
What cells perform peristalsis?
Interstitial cells of cajal
What innervation is responsible for digestion, secretion and absorption?
Meissner’s plexus
Where is meissner’s plexus located?
In submucosa
What effect does chewing have on food?
Increases surface area
What nutrients are digested in the mouth?
Carbs and fats
What enzyme digests carbs in the mouth?
Amylase
What does amylase do?
Digests starch to maltose
What enzyme is responsible for fat digestion in mouth?
Salivary lipase
What does salivary lipase do?
Digests triacyglycerols to glycerol plus fatty acids
Three phases of swallowing?
Voluntary
Pharyngeal
Esophageal
What is the primary function of the pharyngeal stage?
Block trachea as food passes so breathing is inhibited
What relaxes during the pharyngeal stage?
Upper spinchter
What begins in pharyngeal stage?
Peristalsis
Upper 1/3 esophagus muscle?
Striated
What is upper esophageal sphincter responsible for?
Keeping air from entering esophagus