Digestive system Flashcards
what is the average transit time in the large intestine
men and kinds - 33h
women - 47h
average - 40h
what is digestion
the breakdown of food molecules into their monomers by hydrolysis
what is absorption
process of how monomers are transported across the wall of the small intestine into the blood and lymph
what is metabolsim
the use of ingested food molecules in reactions of cell respiration to produce ATP
what is the alimentary canal
- series of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting tube
- oral cavity to anus
- continuous with the environment on both ends
what are the accessory organs in the digestive system
teeth, tongue, salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, pancreas
what are the structures of the alimentary canal/digestive tract
- mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, anus
what are the layers (tunics) of the alimentary canal
mucosa
submucosa
muscularis
serosa
mucosa layer
absorptive and secretory layer
submucosa layer
highly vascular layer of connective tissue
muscularis layer
responsible for contractions and peristaltic movements
(break and mix food with digestive enzymes)
serosa layer
connective tissue continuous with the mesentery and visceral peritoneum (connects digestive tissues to abdomen walls)
tongue structure
- the tongue is converted in backward facing projections called filiform papillae
- filiform papillae sense pressure
- have a scaly appearance
- papillae are constantly shedding this top layer of skin
cat tounge
- hollow which allows them to secrete more saliva
- helps cats cool down
what are the 3 pairs of salivary glands
- sublingual: under the tongue
- submandibular: under jaw
- parotid: posterior (close to ear) - largest pair
functions of salivary glands
- lubrication of the mouth and throat
- solubilization of dry food (taste)
- oral hygiene - antimicrobial peptides attack pathogens in food
- alkaline buffering - prevents demineralization of enamel (from acidic foods)
- begins starch digestion (salivary amylase)
- evaporative cooling
true or false: if you produce less saliva you have a greater chance of getting cavities
true
how do the teeth contribute to digestion
teeth are responsible for mastication (chewing and mixing food with saliva)
what are the jobs of the different types of teeth
incisors: rip and cut
canines: tear and pierce
premolars: grind and shear
molars: grind
true or false: the teeth are the softest structure in the body
false - are the hardest
tissues involved in deglutition (swallowing)
- involves 25 pairs of muscles in the mouth, pharynx, larynx and esophagus
striated muscles: mouth, pharynx and upper esophagus
smooth muscles: lower esophagus
3 phases of deglutition (swallowing)
- oral phase: somatic - muscles of the tongue and mouth mix the food with saliva to create a bolus
- Pharyngeal phase: autonomic - nasal cavity and larynx are closed off
- Esophageal phase: autonomic - food bolus moved by peristaltic contractions
what is the esophagus
- connects the pharynx to the stomach
- 25cm long muscular tube, located behind the trachea
- upper third = skeletal muscle
- middle third = mix of skeletal and smooth muscle
- lower third = smooth muscle
what is esophageal peristalsis
moving food in a wave-like muscular contraction through the esophagus
how do peristaltic contractions move food
- move the bolus from the esophagus into the stomach
- contractions progress from the superior end of the esophagus to the gastroesophageal junction at a rate of 2-4 cm/second
what is the esophageal hiatus
- where the esophagus passes through the diaphragm
what is the lower esophageal sphincter
- the terminal portion of the esophagus where the lumen is slightly narrowed due to the thickening of muscle fibres
- sphincter relaxes = food enters the stomach
- sphincter constricts = prevents regurgitation of stomach contents
sphincter = misnomer
sphincter in rodants
- known as a true sphincter
- rodents cannot regurgitate because their sphincter prevents back flow
- mouth gaping = nausea (might have eaten something toxic)
the stomach of ruminants
1st chamber: rumen - allows to breakdown of cellulose
2nd chamber: reticulum - regurgitates food back to the ruminants mouth, cud is chewed and re-swallowed
3rd chamber: omasum
4th chamber: abomasum
3 main functions of the stomach
- storage of swallowed food and liquids: muscles of the cardiac and fundus relax to accept large food volumes
- mixes up food/liquid with digestive juices: in the lower pyloric region by muscles, begins protein digestion and acidity kills bacteria
- slowly empties contents (chyme) into the duodenum
musculature of the stomach
- smooth muscle layers run longitudinal, circular and oblique
- provides complex motility to mix and mechanically break up food in the stomach
main regions of the stomach (top to bottom)
- cardiac region (fundus and body)
- pyloric region (antrum to pyloric sphincter)
food movement through the stomach
- food is delivered to the cardiac region of the stomach
- chyme is churned and enters the duodenum through the pyloric sphincter
what are gastric pits
- opening off of gastric glands, which are cells that line the folds into the stomach
What is the purpose of gastric glands
- contain many types of cells to produce a specific secretion in the stomach
- exocrine secretions of the gastric cells + large amount of water = gastric juice (highly acidic)
types of cells in the gastric glands of the stomach
mucous cells: secrete mucus
parietal cells: secrete HCl and intrinsic factor (bound to vit B12 - essential for life)
chief (zymogenic) cells: secrete pepsinogen
What do pepsinogen and HCl do in the stomach
- in the presence of HCl, the inactive enzyme pepsinogen becomes pepsin (active)
- pepsin can digest proteins into smaller polypeptides
- the high [HCl] makes gastric juice very acidic and denatures protein to make them more digestible
why doesn’t the stomach digest itself
major barrier: adherent layer of gastric mucus on the epithelial surface
- epithelial surface has alkaline bicarbonate making pH at epithelial surface near neutral
- causes slow diffusion of pepsin to epithelial cells
- tight junctions between epithelial cells protect underlying tissues from acid/pepsin
- cell division replaces the entire gastric epithelium every 3 days
what are peptic ulcers
caused by erosion of the mucosa
- duodenal ulcers are caused by excessive gastric acid secretion
- peptic ulcers are caused by reduced barriers of self digestion
Helicobacter pylori
common bacteria that survives very acidic pH and cause digestion of protective barrier leading to peptic ulcers
regions of the small intestine
duodenum
- first 20-30cm, extends from pyloric sphincter
- mucous secretion, receives pancreatic secretions and bile from the liver
jejunum
- 1m in length, numerous folds and vili
Ileum
- last 2m, fewer folds and vili
- absorbs primarily bile salts, water and electrolytes
- contains Peter’s patches
- empties into the large intestine via ileocecal valve
types of folds in the small intestine
- extensive folding increases surface area for absorption which increases rate of absorption
plicae circulares: big folds created from mucosa and submucosa
villi: microscopic folds of mucosa
microvilli: foldings on apical plasma membrane of epithelial cells
which regions of the SI are certain particles absorbed in
duodenum and jejunum: carbs, lipids, AAs, Ca2+, iron
ileum: bile salts, Vit B12, H2O, electrolytes
characteristics of Villi
- covered with columnar epithelial cells (enterocytes)
- goblet cells in villi secrete mucus
- epithelial cells at the tip of villi are continuously replaced
- invaginations of villi form pouches = intestinal crypts
- paneth cells at the base secrete antibacterial lysosomes and antimicrobial peptides (defensins) to protect against pathogenic bacteria while preserving commensal bacteria
characteristics of microvilli
- formed by foldings at the apical surface of each epithelial PM
- produce a brush border
- contain wide diversity of enzymes for absorption and digestion
Brush border enzymes
- remain attached to the PM other their active sites exposed to the chyme (in the lumen)
- examples of brush border enzymes are surcease, maltase, lactase, aminopeptidase, and enterokinase
how does food enter into the large intestine
- chyme enters through the ileum into the cecum (blind pouch)
structure of the large intestine
- covered by columnar epithelial cells and goblet cells, but no villi present
- external layer of smooth muscle (taenia coli)
- formation of haustra (pouches)
function of the large intestine
- little to no digestive function
- absorbs water, electrolytes and vitamins