Gastro Flashcards
Length of GIT
~4.5 m in a living adult
Components of the GIT
- Mouth
- salivary glands
- esophagus
- liver
- stomach
- gallbladder
- pancreas
- large intestine
- small intestine
- rectum`
Gut Wall Structure (mid-esophagus to anus)
- Serosa
- Muscularis Externa
- Submucosa
- Mucosa
Serosa
thin, tough layer of connective tissue (continuous in places with abdominal mesentery)
Muscularis Externa
outer layer longitudinal fibres (when it contracts, the GIT shortens), inner layer circular fibres (when it contracts, lumen narrows); (musculature in oral cavity, pharynx, upper 1/3 esophagus and external anal sphincter is striated; the rest is smooth)
Submucosa
loose connective tissue, housing neuronal network, lymphatics, blood vessels
Mucosa
- muscularis mucosae (sm. muscle)
- lamina propria (loose connective tissue)
- epithelial layer (secretory - exocrine and endocrine - and absorptive cells).
3 activities of the GIT:
- Motility(muscular activity) –> Propulsion and Physical Breakdown
- Secretion(glandular activity - exocrine and endocrine) –> chemical breakdown
- Absorption –> transfer to blood circulation
Endocrine
released in the blood stream, carried throughout the body
Exocrine
released substances onto the tissue to act locally.
GIT Digestive/ Absorptive Capacity (exquisitely efficient)
Carbs - 99%
Fat - 95%
Protein - 92%
Enteric Nervous System (ENS)
- its neurons reside within the wall of the GIT
- is an addition to the automatic nervous system
- independent, integrative nervous system
- initiates, regulates, programs, coordinates (activities of muscular and secretory and absorptive elements)
Plexus
- collections of neural cell bodies
- they contain all the elements needed for reflex: sensory neurons, effector neurons, and interneurons
Sensory Neurons
w/ receptors in mucosa or muscle… stretch receptors, chemoreceptors, osmoreceptors
Effector Neurons
activate the secretory and muscle cells
Interneurons
expand the responses to stimuli in the GIT
Submucosal and Myenteric Plexus
Though anatomically distinct, the 2 plexuses behave as ONE functional unit.
- Myenteric has all neurons (between the longitudinal and circular muscle layers)
- Submucosal has only sensory and effector
Acetylcholine
Excitatory Neuron transmitter. Can be blocked by atropine
Non-Adrenergic and Non-Cholinergic (NANC)
Inhibitory transmitters
Ultimate activity (or what happens to the cell)
algebraic sum of influences from the nerves.
Short, Enteric Reflexes
-occur in the GIT wall
e.g.
Stimulus –> chemoreceptors, osmoreceptors, mechanoreceptors –> nerve plexus –> smooth muscle or gland cell –> response.
Parasympathetic(preganglionic)
- Nicotinic excitatory
- Signal comes straight from the CNS and synapsing with the ENS
- Parasympathetic neurons reach the wall of the GIT as preganglionic fibres, synapsing (via nicotonic ACh receptors) with enteric neurons (both excitatory and inhibitory) exerting an excitatory effect.
Sympathetic(post ganglionic)
- NA inhibitory
- ganglia outside the CNS and GIT wal. Will synapse outside the wall, before they send a signal to the GIT, which will also affect the ENS.
- Sympathetic neurons reach the wall of the GIT as postganglionic fibres, synapsing (via NA receptors) with enteric neurons (both excitatory and inhibitory) exerting an inhibitory effect
- also innervates smooth muscle in blood vessels in the wall, causing vasoconstriction