Digestive System 3 Flashcards
What do the intestines of a mammal consist of?
- small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, ileum)
- large intestine (cecum, colon, rectum, anal canal)
What is the tissue found in the small intestine?
simple columnar epithelium
+ striated border
What tissue is the large intestine composed of?
simple columnar epithelium
+ striated border
What other cells, except of simple columnar epithelium, can be found in the intestines?
goblet cells
How is the tunica muscularis of the intestines organised?
What type of cells?
- inner circular layer
- outer longitudinal layer
smooth muscle cells
How do the intestines compare from a histological point of view?
They are very similar.
duodenum, jujenum, ileum are very similar; but also, small and large intestines are very similar.
What is the outermost layer of the intestines? Why?
Tunica Serosa
- serous cells provide secrete which lubricates the surface of intestines,
- allows intestines to glide against other organs
What is the second layer of the intestines (from the outside)?
Tunica Muscularis
- outer longitudinal layer
- inner circular layer
- (both layers = smooth muscle cells)
What is the 3rd layer (counting from the outside) of the intestines? What tissue is it based on?
Tunica Submucosa
- based on loose connective tissue
What is the final tissue layer of the intestines (most inner layer)? What cells is it composed of?
Mucosa:
- simple columnar epithelium
- striated border
What is meant by the “striated border” of the intestines?
“striated border” = microvilli
What are ‘microvillis’?
very small projections located on EACH simple columnar epithelial cell.
What do microvilli provide the intestines with? Why is this necessary?
- microvilli increase the intestinal surface area
- necessary to absorb water and nutrients more effectively
What is the major difference between the histological structure of the small and large intestine?
villi!
(only found in the small intestine)
What is the special structure of the small intestine?
villi
What are the differences in villi between species?
ruminants: short and thick
carnivores: long and slender
What is located at the bases of villi?
Invaginations of the epithelium called the intestinal glands.
What are the invaginations in the epithelium at the villi bases called?
intestinal glands
What occurs in the invaginations? How does it occur? What is a different name of the villi invaginations?
invaginations = intestinal glands
- replacement of the mucosal epithelium
- by cell division
By what process is mucosal epithelium replaced?
cell division
What is a distinctive feature of the small intestine?
Mucosa takes up a very large portion of the entire intestinal wall/organ.
- 80% of entire wall
- 20% remaining layers (tunica submucosa, muscularis and serosa)
What type of projections can be spotted in the small intestine?
outer projections: villi
inner projections: intestinal glands
What other organ has glands in the digestive system? What are their names?
stomach
gastric glands (in gastric pits)
What is the difference between glands in the stomach and small intestine?
stomach- gastric pits
small intestine- intestinal glands
stomach: invaginations (gastric pits) which only later open into gastric glands
What type of cells are located in intestinal glands?
- stem cells
- paneth cells
- enteroendocrine cells
- goblet cells
- enterocytes
What is the function of stem cells in intestinal glands? Why is it important?
- renewal of the intestinal epithelium,
- important because the simple columnar epithelium has a very limited lifespan
What are feces based on?
- dead epithelial cells
- only small portion is undigested food
What are paneth cells? What is their main function?
- innate immune system cells
- produces enzymes (lysozyme) (which breaks down bacterial walls and recognises viruses)
What is the function of the lyzosyme enzyme? What cell secretes it?
- paneth cells secrete lyzosymes
function:
- innate immune response
- break down bacterial walls
- recognise viruses
- phagocytosis (similar to macrophages and neutrophils)
Are paneth cells effective?
paneth cells secrete lyzosymes which are not 100% effective, however they do play a very good job in innate immune defence.
What is the function of endocrine cells in the intestinal gland?
- secrete hormones: secretin, cholecystokinin, GIP
SECRETIN:
- regulates secretions in the pancrease, liver, small intestines and stomach,
- regulates pH levels
What feature makes the intestines similar to the stomach?
endocrine cells (both the stomach and small intestine have hormone secreting cells in their glands)
What is the function of secretin in the small intestine? What is it released by?
secretin is released by enteroendocrine cells.
function:
- regulates secretions (pancrease, liver, small intestines and stomach)
- regulates pH levels
What is the function of goblet cells in the small intestine?
- not specific to the small intestine (can be found in almost the entire digestive tract)
function:
- production of mucous (necessary to lubricate food)
What is the most important cell of the small intestine?
enterocyte
What is enteritis?
- the inflammation of intestines
- affects enterocyte cells
What is present in the lamina propria and submucosa of the small intestine?
Peyer’s patches
What are “payers patches”? Where are they found?
- aggregations of lymphatic nodules
- present in the lamina propria and submucosa of the small intestine (especially ileum)
Where are peyer’s patches most common?
- small intestine
- ileum
What is the function of peyer’s patches?
- guarantee immune surveillance of the intestinal lumen
- facilitate the production of an immune response within
To what system do the intestines qualify too? Why? What cells are present?
immune system
- most exposure to pathogenic bacteria and viruses takes place within the digestive tract
cells:
- lymphocytes (deeper to the mucosa)
- peyer’s patches
- paneth cells (lysozymes)
What other glands (apart from intestinal glands) can be found in the intestines? Where exactly are they found? What other name can they be reffered to as?
Brunner’s glands (Duodenal glands)
- found in the duodenum
- within the submucosa and lamina propria
compound tubular submucosal glands
What type of glands are Brunner’s glands?
compound tubular submucosal glands
What is the main function of Brunner’s glands? Why do they do what they do?
- produce a mucous-rich alkaline secretion (i.e. mucous containing bicarbonate) –> protects the duodenum from the acidic content (introduced by the stomach)
- provide an alkaline condition for intestinal enzymes to be active –> enable absoption to take place
State the species differences of Brunner’s glands.
carnivores, sheep, and goats:
- limited to the initial or mid region of the duodenum
horses, pigs, and cows:
- extend into the jejunum
What is opposite in the stomach and intestines?
the pH levels!
- stomach= very low (acidic)
- intestines= high (alkaline)
Why are the intestines alkaline?
Due to Brunner’s glands secreting alkaline mucous.
Why do the intestines have to have a basic pH?
To allow intestinal enzymes to be active and therefore enable the absorption of nutrients.
What would happen if Brunner’s glands wouldn’t exist?
- high pH would not be maintained in the intestines
- proper digestion would not take place