Digestive System Chapter 23 Flashcards
Alimentary canal aka gastrointestinal tract
- gut–continuous muscular tube that winds through the body from the mouth to the anus
- it digests food and absorbs the digested fragments through the lining into the blood
- organs of alimentary: mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine
- in cadaver, the alimentary canal is approximately 9 m but in living person it is shorter b/c of muscle tone
Accessory digestive organs
-teeth, tongue, gallbladder, salivary glands (and other digestive glands), liver, and prancreas
Ingestion
-simply taking food in to the digestive tract
Propulsion
- moving food through the alimentary canal
- swallowing is voluntary
- peristalsis is involuntary
Mechanical breakdown of food
- increases surface area of food, preparing it for digestion by enzymes
- chewing, mixing food w/ saliva by tongue
- churning food in the stomach
- segmentation (rhythmic local constriction) of small intestine
Digestion
-series of catabolic steps in which enzymes secreted into the lumen of the alimentary canal break down complex food molecules to their chemical building blocks
Absorption
-passage of digested end products and vitamins, minerals, and water from the lumen of the GI tract through the mucosal cells by active or passive transport into the blood or lymph
Defecation
-eliminates indigestible substances from the body via the anus in the form of feces
What does stimulating receptors in the GI tract do?
- activate or inhibit glands that secrete digestive juices into the lumen or hormones into the blood
- stimulates smooth muscle of the GI tract walls to mix lumen contents and move them along the tract
Intrinsic controls of digestive activity–“gut brain”
- nerve plexuses and hormone producing cells
- gut brain–consists of enteric nerve plexuses spread like chicken wire along the entire length of the GI tract and regulates digestive activity all along the tract
Short reflexes of GI
-mediated by the local enteric plexuses in response to stimuli in the GI tract
Long reflexes of GI
-initiated by stimuli arising inside or outside the GI tract and involve CNS centers and extrinsic autonomic nerves
Visceral peritoneum
covers external surfaces of most digestive organs and is continuous with the parietal peritoneum
Parietal peritoneum
-lines the body wall
Peritoneal cavity
- b/t the two peritoneums
- slitlike potential space containing slippery fluid secreted by serious membranes
- lubricates the mobile digestive organs allowing them to glide across one another and along the body wall to carry out their activites
Mesentary
- double layer of peritoneum
- sheet of 2 serous membranes fused back to back
- extends to digestive organs from the body wall
- provide routes for blood vessels, lymphatics and nerves to reach the digestive viscera
- holds organs in place
- stores fat
Retroperitoneal organs
- organs become retroperitoneal during development b/c some regions of the small intestine adhere to the abdominal wall and lose their mesentary
- most of the pancreas, duodenum, parts of large intestine
Peritonitis
- inflammation of the peritoneum
- usually happens from a burst appendix that sprays feces all over the peritoneum
Splanchnic circulation
- arteries that branch off abdominal aorta to serve the digestive organs and the hepatic portal circulation
- arteries: branches of celiac trunk supply the spleen, liver, and stomach ; mesentarics supply the small and large intestines
- hepatic portal circulation: collects nutrient rich venous blood draining from the digestive viscera and delivers it to the liver
Alimentary canal
- from esophagus to anus
- has same four layers: mucosa, submucosa, muscularis externa, and serosa
Mucosa
- innermost layer
- moist epithelial membrane
- secretes mucus, digestive enzymes and hormones
- absorbs the end products of digestion in the blood
- protects against infectious disease
Layers of the mucosa
- lining epithelium
- lamina propria
- muscularis mucosae
- -mouth, esophagus, and anus are stratified squamous
- -the rest of the canal is simple columnar epithelium
Lamina propria of the mucosa
- under the epithelium
- loose areolar connnective tissue
- its capillaries nourish the epithelium and absorb digested nutrients
- defend us against bacteria and other pathogens that easily get to the digestive tract
- large collections of lymphoid follicles in the pharynx and appendix
Muscularis mucosae of the mucosa
- external to lamina propria
- produces local movement of the mucosa
Submucosa
- external to mucosa
- aerolar connective tissue
- contains rich supply of blood and lymphatic vessels, lymphoid follicles and never fibers
- supply the surrounding tissues of the GI tract wall
- elastic fibers enable the stomach to regain its normal shape after storing a meal
Muscularis externa
- surrounds submucosa
- responsible for segmentation and peristalsis
- has internal circular layer and external longitudinal layer of smooth muscle cells
- at some points the circular layer thickens and forms sphincters (prevent backflow)
Serosa
- outermost layer of intraperitoneal organs (visceral peritoneum)
- areolar connective tissue covered with mesothelium and a single layer of squamous epithelial cells
- in the esophagus, the serosa is replaced by an adventitia–fibrous connective tissue that binds the esophagus to surrounding structures
- -retroperitoneal organs have serosa and adventitia
Enteric neurons
- regulate digestive system activity
- semiautonomous
- constitute the bulk of the intrinsic nerve plexuses: the submucosal and myenteric
- provide the major nerve supply to the GI tract wall and control GI tract motility
Submucosal nerve plexus
-occupies the submucosa
Myenteric nerve plexus
-lies b/t circular and longitudinal muscle layers of the muscularis externa
Enteric nervous system is linked to the central nervous system by what?
- afferent visceral fibers
- sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system that enter the intestinal wall and synapse w/ neurons in the intrinsic plexuses
- -sympathetic: inhibits digestive activity
- -parasympathetic: enhance digestive activities
What type of tissue is in the mouth?
- stratified squamous epithelium
- the gums, hard palate, and dorsum of the tongue are keratinized for extra protection against abrasion
Obicularis oris muscle
-forms the fleshy lips
Buccinator
-forms the cheeks
Hard palate
- underlain by palatine bones and palatine processes of the maxillae
- mucosa on either side of the midline ridge (raphe) is corrugated to help create friction
Soft palate
-closes off nasopharynx when we swallow
How is the soft palate anchored to the tongue? The oropharynx?
- by the palatoglossal arches
- palatopharyngeal arches
- these two pairs of arches form the fauces
Fauces
- created by the palatoglossal arches and palatopharyngeal arches
- it is the arched area of the oropharynx that contains the palantine tonsils
Intrinsic muscles of the tongue
- confined in the tongue and aren’t attached to bone
- allow tongue to change its shape as needed for speech and swallowing
Extrinsic muscles of the tongue
- extend to the tongue from their points of origin on bones of the skull or soft palate
- alter tongues position: protrude it, retract it, and move it from side to side
Papillae of the tongue
- filiform—whitish, give the tongue roughness and provide friction
- fungiform—reddish, scattered over the tongue
- circumvallate (vallate)—V-shaped row in back of tongue
- —–these three house taste buds
- foliate—on the lateral aspects of the posterior tongue
Buccal salivary glands (intrinsic)
- scattered in the oral mucosa
- secretes saliva
- cleans the mouth
- moistens and dissolves food chemicals
- aids in bolus formation
- contains enzymes that begin the breakdown of starch
Parotid gland (extrinsic)
- anterior to the ear, external to the masseter muscle
- opens into the vestibule next to second upper molar
Submandibular gland (extrinsic)
- medial to the body of the mandible
- duct opens at the base of the lingual frenulum
Sublingual gland (extrinsic)
- anterior to the submandibular gland under the tongue
- opens via 10–12 ducts into the floor of the mouth
Saliva composition
-secreted by serous and mucous cells
-97–99.5% water, slightly acidic solution containing
electrolytes—Na+, K+, Cl–, PO4 2–, HCO3–
-digestive enzymes: salivary amylase and lingual lipase
-proteins: mucin, lysozyme and IgA
-metabolic wastes—urea and uric acid
-lysozyme, IgA, defensin, and a cyanide compound protect against microorganisms
Control of saliva
-intrinsic glands continuously keep the mouth moist
-extrinsic salivary glands produce secretions when
ingested food stimulates chemoreceptors and mechanoreceptors in the mouth
-salivatory nuclei in the brain stem send impulses along parasympathetic fibers in cranial nervesVII andIX
-strong sympathetic stimulation inhibits salivation and results in dry mouth (xerostomia)
Tooth
- enamel covered crown and cement-covered root
- most is dentin which surrounds the central pulp cavity
- a periodontal ligament secures the tooth to th ebony alveolus