Gastro physiology Flashcards
What are the functions of the liver (6)
- Gluconeogenesis, glycogenolysis
- Protein metabolism
- Break down protein converting ammonia to urea, 50% of which is excreted by the kidneys - Fat metabolism
- Converts free fatty acids to ketones
- Synthesis of VLDL
- Processes chylomicron remnants from the blood
- Formation & secretion of bile
- Processes fat soluble vitamins - Synthesis
- IGF-1/ somatomedin
- plasma proteins: acute phase proteins, albumin, clotting factors, steroid binding & other hormone-binding proteins - Inactivation
- Toxins
- Steroids (chemical modification and excretion of thyroxine) - Immunity
- Kuppffer cells
How is glutamate produced and what is it.
Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter. Which serves as a substrate for the production of A ketodehydrogenase.
Formed by converting GLUTAMINE to GLUTAMATE
- This is done by the enzyme GLUTAMINASE.
- This enzyme is abundant in renal tubular cells (which is why ammonia is made in the kidney).
- GLUTAMINE is found in the glia.
- Glutamic acid/ glutamate is taken up by the brain.
What causes the abnormally high blood ammonia levels found commonly in hepatic coma
- porto-systemic shunting of blood
- reduced capacity for urea synthesis in the liver i.e. ammonia can’ t be converted to urea
- bacterial production of ammonia in the gut
- decreased hydrogen ion excretion by the kidney
What is the composition of bile
97% water
0.7% bile salt
0.2% bile pigment
Bile salts
- Na, K
Bile pigments
- Responsible for yellow colour
- From glucuronides, bilirubin & biliverdin by breakdown of RBCs
Other substances
- Cholesterol
- Inorganic salts
- Fatty acids
- Lecithin
- Fat
- Alkaline phosphatase
What would you see predominantly if you analyzed bile chemically
Bile salts
What does the cholesterol solubility of bile depend on
Presents of bile salts and lecithin
How much bile do we secrete a day, where from and what causes secretion of more
liver secretes 500ml of bile daily some excreted in faeces & urine, some gets reabsorbed & re-secreted (enterohepatic
circulation)
Reabsorption of bile salts from the intestine leads to further secretion of bile
What are the 4 types of bile acids
- Primary (formed in the liver)
- Cholic acid 50%
- Chenodeoxycholic acid 30% - Secondary (made elsewhere e.g in the colon and converted by bacteria)
- Cholic acid -> Deoxycholic acid (15%)
- Chenodeoxycholic acid -> lithocholic acid (5%)
How are bile acids converted to bile salts
Conjugated with taurine & glycine to form bile salts
What is the function of bile salts
They are amphipathic (hydrophilic and hydrophobic) and form micelles.
- To reduce surface tension
- Assist in fat emulsification, digestion and absorption in the small intestine (in conjunction with phospholipids & monoglycerides)
What is required for the formation of micelles
A certain concentration of bile salts is required for the formation of micelles.
Bile salts contain bile acids, which are made from cholesterol.
Does steatorrhoea follow resection of the terminal ileum and if so why.
Steatorrhoea may follow resection of the terminal ileum
BECAUSE
95% of the bile salts are absorbed in the terminal ileum & recycled by the enterhepatic circulation
Where are bile salts absorbed and how are they re-circulated.
- 95% small intestine (mainly terminal ileum). This is done by a Na-bile salt co transported, powered by Na-K basolateral ATPase
- Some are absorbed by non-ionic diffusion along the way.
- The remaining 5-10% then enter the colon where they are converted to deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid.
- Lithocholate is relatively insoluble, mostly excreted in stools; only 1% is absorbed.
- Deoxycholate is absorbed
- The absorbed bile salts are transported back to the liver in the portal vein -> re-excreted in bile (enterohepatic circulation)
- Those lost in stool are replaced by synthesis in liver
What happens when enterohepatic circulation is interrupted e.g terminal ileum resection, Chron’s
- 50% of ingested fat will appear in the feces because liver cannot increase rate of bile salt production fast enough
- severe malabsorption of fat-soluble vitamins
What are bile salts synthesised from and where are they concentrated
Synthesised from cholesterol and concentrated in the GB
What are the clinical manifestations of excess bile salts
Make the skin jaundice and skin itchy
What are the primary bile salts and what are they conjugated with in the liver.
The primary bile salts are cholate & chenodeoxycholate & are conjugated with glycine or taurine in the liver
Where is Bilirubin formed
formed in the reticuloendothelial system & BM; when RBCs breakdown (life span ~120days)
When do we get an increase in un-conjugated bilirubin
When there is excessive destruction of RBC’s (haemolysis)
How do we make Bilirubin and how to we get rid of it.
Macrophages engulf old erythrocytes and degrade them.
Erythrocytes release Hb, which is broken down into haem and globin.
Globin is broken down into amino acids.
The haem is broken down into unconjuagted bilirubin and iron.
Iron is re used for erythropoiesis.
Un-conjugated bilirubin needs to be removed. It is lipid soluble, needs to be bound to albumin to travel in blood (some does float freely unbound).
Un-conjugated bilirubin is carried to the liver.
In the liver bilirubin is conjugated by the addition of glucoronic acid.
This conjugated bilirubin is now water soluble.
This occurs in the sER and is done by glucuronyl transferase.
Conjugated bilirubin can now be excreted in bile (against a concentration gradient) then into the small intestine.
In the ileum/ beginning of large bowel it is converted by gut bacteria into URObilinogen (this is also lipid soluble)
URObilinogen 10-15% reabsorbed by the blood and bound to albumin. Some of this makes it back to the liver and enters the enterohepatic circulation (secreted as bile)
The other 5% is transported to the kidneys where it is converted to urobilin and peed out.
85-90% is oxidised to form sterocobolin (brown) excreted as poop.
What level of billirubin is required for jaundice to occur
34
Where does excess bilirubin accumulate
Blood
Skin
Sclera
Mucus membranes
What causes hyperbilirubinemia (physiological not diseases)
- Too much production (haemolytic anaemia)
- Not enough uptake into liver cells
- Not conjugated properly
- Conjugated bilirubin can’ t be released into bile canaliculi
- Obstruction of bile flow inside & outside of liver
Do people with obstructive jaundice have a tendancy to bleed and if so why
Patient who has obstructive jaundice due to gallstone may have an increased tendency to bleed
BECAUSE
In obstructive jaundice, decreased absorption of vitamin K occurs in the gut
Compare haemolytic anaemia to obstructive jaundice with respect to plasma findings
- In obstructive jaundice you get bile salt retention which contains ALP and cholesterol, therefore these levels increase as well
Describe what the Gallbladder does to bile.
It concentrates it by actively transported NaCl out of the gallbladder.
Gallbladder actively re absorbs Na. CL, bicarb and water passively follows. This decreases the water content out bile from 97 to 89%.
This concentrates the bile. Liver bile 10-20mmol/L; GB50-200mmol/L
Gallbladder also adds acid to it.
Liver bile pH 7.8-8.6, GB pH 7-7.4
How do we control our biliary secretion
When FFA and AA enter the duodenum we release CCK.
CCK stimulates the GB to contract.
This squeezes the bile into the second part of the duodenum.
What 2 things increases the production of bile
(neuronal and hormonal)
Stimulation of the vagus nerve
Secretin - Increases the water and bicarb content of bile
What are cholagogues and choleretics (what is the most potent choleretic)
Cholagogues are things that cause contraction of GB, e.g. CCK
Choleretics are things that increase secretion of bile, e.g. bile salts. The most potent stimulators of bile salts secretion are the bile salts themselves
How much pancreatic juice to we secrete a day
1.5L
What is the pH of the duodenum and how
Pancreatic, intestinal and bile secretions neutralise gastric acid. Raises pH 6.0 – 7.0
What does pancreatic juice contain
ALKALINE
Cation
- NA
- K
- Ca
- Mg
- pH ~8.0
Anions
- HCO3
- CL
- SO4
- HPO4
Digestive enzymes
- amylase
- lipase
- trypsin
- chymotrypsin
- elastase
- ribonuclease
- deoxyribonuclease
- peptidase
- Proelastase
- Phospholipase A
- a bile salt activated lipase capable of hydrolyzing cholesterol esters
What happens if trypsin is not controlled, and how do we control it
It acts on phospholipase A2, which splits of FA from lecithin producing lysolecithin.
This damages the cell membrane and causes the pancreatitis.
To control this we have a trypsin inhibitor
What does trypsin do and how is it secreted
Trypsin is secreted by the pancreas as trypsinogen, is activated by enterokinase in the duodenum, and hydrolyzes protein molecules to peptides and amino acids.
Trpysin acts as a positive feedback on itself, converting more trypsinogen to trypsin.
It also converts chymotripsinogens to chymotrypsins and prlolastase to elastase.
(Which break down protein and amino acids respectively)
Is enterokinase a GIT hormone
No it is an enzyme on the brush border that converts trypsinogen to trypsin.
Serum amylase may be elevated during…
- Acute renal insufficiency
- Administration of morphine
- Acute perforation of a duodenal ulcer
- Mumps
How do we regulate pancreatic juice secretion, neuronal or hormonal
Both but mainly hormonal
- CCK and Secretin
What happens when you inject someone with IV secretin
- Volume of pancreatic juice increases
- Amount of HCO3 in the juice increases significantly
- [Cl] in the juice decreases
- level of amylase is reduced
What is secretins role in pancreatic exocrine function
secretin via increasing intracellular cAMP
- (+) pancreatic ducts to make lots of very alkaline pancreatic juice, rich in HCO3 and poor in enzymes
- (+) bile secretion
HCO3 rich pancreatic juice is secreted ONLY in response to secretin, & nothing else
What is CCK and vagal stimulations role in pancreatic exocrine function.
‘concentrated’ juice, low volume, but high in acid content, so low pH
What impact does the sympathetic nervous system have on the pancreas
the sympathetic nerve supply of the pancreas is vasoconstrictive, and has minimal effect on exocrine secretion
How do we get a vagally mediate section of pancreatic juice and what blocks this affect
- Vagally mediated conditioned reflex secretion of pancreatic juice occurs in response to the sight or smell of food
- This effect is blocked by atropine and by denervation of the pancreas
In the absence of pancreatic enzymes does the faeceas contain more fat and why
In the absence of pancreatic enzymes, the faeces contain more fat MAINLY because there is little enteric lipase in the epithelial
cells of the small intestine
What impact does somatostatin have on glucagon secretion
Decreased
What impact does cholinergic stumulation have on insulin secretion
Increased
What impact does secretin have on HCO3 and CL (including concentrations)
- [HCO3] being 80mmol/l normally, rising to 150 on stimulation by secretin
- [Cl-] being 55mmol/l normally, decreases with stimulation by secretin
Two main anions of pancreatic juice
HCO3 and Cl
How much saliva do we secrete a day
1.5L
What is the pH of saliva
normally 7.0, but during active secretion, can go up to 8.0
What does saliva contain (7)
- Lingual lipase
- Salivary A-amylase
- Mucins > glycoprotein that lubricate food, bind to bacteria & protect oral mucosa
- IgA
- Lysozyme > attack bacteria walls
- Lactoferrin > binds iron & is bacteriostatic
- Proline-rich proteins > protect tooth enamel & bind toxic tannins
What is the function of saliva (6)
- Helps swallowing
- Keeps mouth moist
- Serves as a solvent for molecules that stimulate taste buds
- Helps speech by lubricating tongue
- Keeps mouth & teeth clean
- Antibacterial action
What happens in a patient with deficient salivation
Xerostomia > higher dental caries
What are the 3 types of salivary glands and wha do they secrete
Parotid
- serous cell
- secrete ptyalin
- watery secretions
- 20% contribution to daily saliva.
sublingual
- mucous cells
- secrete mucin
- viscous
- 5% contribution
submandibular
- mixed serous & mucous cells
- moderately viscous secretions
- 70% contribution
remaining 5% is contributed by lingual & other minor glands in the oral cavity
How do we control our salivary secretions (neural vs hormonal)
Neural control
Parasympathetic control
- Profuse secretion of water saliva, little organic material
Sympathetic control
- Vasoconstriction + small amounts of saliva rich in organic consituents from submandibular glands
What blocks saliva secretion
Atropine
What produces secretion of saliva (neural inputs)
- Food in the mouth > reflex secretion
- Parasympathetics > vagal stimulation
- Vagal afferent stimulation at the gastric end of eosophagus
What are the 3 components of the lower oesphageal sphincter and what control are they under
- The smooth muscle of LES is the intrinsic sphincter, under parasympathetic control by vagus/ach
- Crural parts of the diaphragm. Extrinsic sphincter controlled by phrenic nerve of diaphragm, hence respiration
- Oblique or sling fibres of the stomach wall
Is the oesophagus normally open or closed
Closed at both ends
Compare the activity of the LES with the body of the oesphagus
- The LES exhibits tonic muscular activity unlike the body of the esophagus
- But not 5mmHg above gastric pressure in resting
state
What causes acahlasia and what are a couple of treatment options
Due to increased resting LES tone & incomplete relaxation on swallowing thus food accumulates in esophagus therefore esophagus dilates.
This is because the myenteric plexus of the oesophagus is deficient at the LES and the release of NO and VIP is defective.
Can be treated by dilation, myotomy. Or you can inhibit Ach by botox.
Outline 4 physiological properties of the stomach (incuding what is secretes)
- receptive relaxation when bolus is coming from oesophagus, myenteric inhibitory nerve (+) stomach relaxes
- control of the rate of access of food to the small intestine
- secretion of a lipase, amylase, gelatinase
- secrete intrinsic factor which are essential for VitB12 absorption and thus erythrocyte formation
What cells types are present in the stomach, where are they located and what do they secrete (8)
- parietal (oxyntic) cells -
-HCL
- Intrinsic factor
- Lie closer to gland opening
- More located in fundus and body. - chief (zymogen, peptic)
- Pepsinogens and peptic lipase.
- Lie deep within gland.
- More located in fundus and body. - ECL cells (enterochromaffin-like cells)
- secrete histamine - Goblet cells- secrete mucus
- surface epithelial cells - produce HCO3 rich secretions
- G cells
- Secrete Gastrin
- Located in the antrum - D cells
- Secrete somatostatin
- Present in the antrum
Impact of vagal stimulation on stomach secretions
Increases secretion of acid and pepsin
Impact of vagotomy on stomach secretion
- It diminishes (but does not abolish) acid secretion
- It diminishes (but does not abolish) gastric motiliy
What is the respiratory quotient of the stomach during secretion of gastric juice
<1 BECAUSE the stomach takes up more CO2 from
arterial blood than it puts into the venous blood
Describe the relationship between Gastrin levels and a gastric bypass operation.
after the operation of high gastro-jejunostomy (gastric bypass) for obesity, the level of plasma gastrin may rise following a
meal
What happens to stomach acid secretions if you resect large segment of small intestine
increases
What happens to stomach acid secretion if you remove the pylorus i.e antrum
Would be expected to reduce acid secretion
Which part of the stomach secretes the most acid
Body and fundus
Volume of gastric secretions per day
2.5L
What is the function of HCL secretion
- Kills many ingested bacteria
- Provide necessary pH for pepsin to start protein digestion
- Stimulates flow of bile
Content of gastric acid secretions
cations
- Na
- K
- Mg
- H+
- pH ~1.0
anions
- Cl
- HPO4
- SO4
Pepsins
Lipases
Mucus
Intrinsic factor
What is the purpose of the mucus secreted by the stomach and what stimulates its release
Traps HCO3 ions, and protect underlying epithelial cells from lysing
mucus secretion is stimulated by prostaglandins
What is the function of gastric lipase
Fat digestion