Gastrointestinal Flashcards
What is the definition of an endocrine hormone?
Released into the bloodstream and travels to a distant site
What is the definition of a paracrine hormone?
Diffuses only short distances through the extracellular space. Acts LOCALLY
What is the definition of an autocrine hormone?
Subset of paracrine but acts on same cell that produces it
What is the definition of a neurocrine hormone?
Released from nerve endings, diffuses short distances through extracellular space
What are the enteroendocrine cells?
“Taste buds” of the gut
Scattered throughout the mucosal layer of the gut
LARGEST endocrine organ in the body
Is the parasympathetic or sympathetic nervous system stimulatory to the GIT for digestion?
Parasympathetic stimulates digestion
“rest and digest”
What nerves innervate the upper and lower GIT in the parasympathetic portion of the extrinsic nervous sytem?
Vagus nerve - upper GIT
Pelvic nerve - lower GIT
What is the neurotransmitter of the parasympathetic system?
Acetylcholine
What neuropeptides are released by the parasympathetic system in the GIT?
Substance P
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)
Neuropeptide Y (NPY)
What percentage of the nerve fibers in the vagus nerve are afferent vs. efferent?
75% afferent
25% efferent
Most of the sympathetic action of the GIT in the extrinsic nervous system comes from what nerves?
Spinal segments of T1 to L3
50/50 afferent to efferent
Norepinephrine is the neurotransmitter
What are the two main components of the enteric nervous system of the GIT and what are their functions?
Myenteric plexus - movements
Submucosal plexus - secretion and local blood flow
What glands are found in the body of the stomach? What cells are found in these glands and what do they secrete?
Oxyntic glands - secrete a number of hormones.
Parietal cells - secrete HCl
Enterochromaffin-like cells - secrete histamine
D cells - secrete somatostatin
Chief cells - secrete pepsinogen
What glands are found in the antrum of the stomach? What cells are found in these glands and what do they secrete?
Pyloric glands - less hormone secretion than in the body
G cells - secrete gastrin
D cells - secrete somatostatin
What three major stimuli cause release of gastrin?
Stretch - causes vagal stimulation which releases bombesin
Peptides
Amino acids
Stretch in the stomach causes stimulation of what nerves and results in what effects?
Stretch signal received by nerves of the gastric mucosa which are part of the parasympathetic system –> release ACh which acts on G cells to release gastrin
Stretch signal also stimulates vagus nerve –> release of gastrin-releasing peptide (bombesin) from vagus nerve –> stimulates G cell to release gastrin
What two amino acids are the major stimulators of gastrin release?
Phenylalanine
Tryptophan
What cells does gastrin act on?
Parietal cells
Enterochromaffin like cells
Does gastrin act in an endocrine, paracrine, or neurocrine manner?
endocrine - after release, enters the bloodstream, goes through portal vein, then goes through liver and are circulated back to the body of the stomach
__ is secreted by enterochromaffin like cells (ECLs) and acts in what manner (endocrine, paracrine, or neurocrine manner) and in what cells?
Histamine
Paracrine - acts on parietal cells within the oxyntic glands where the ECLs are located
Tubulo-vesicles within parietal cells have what receptors?
H/K/ATPases
What three receptors are found on pareital cells and what are the three secretagogues that bind them to activate the parietal cells?
M3 receptor: muscarinic receptor that binds ACh (which comes from vagal input)
H2 receptor: binds histamine
CCK-B: gastrin
M3 receptors on parietal cells bind __ which causes increases in __ inside the cell for activation.
Bind ACh
Causes increases in calcium
What two secretagogues that bind parietal cell receptors cause increases intracellular calcium levels?
ACh
Gastrin
CCK-B receptors on parietal cells bind __ which causes increases in __ inside the cell for activation.
Gastrin
Causes increases in calcium
H2 receptors on parietal cells bind __.
Histamine
Which receptor is the most potent stimulator of parietal cells?
H2 receptor
By what mechanism does histamine binding to H2 receptors activate parietal cells?
Causes increases in cAMP
After activation, what happens to the parietal cells?
They undergo conformation change. The luminal membranes become highly folded to increase surface area for proton pumps to have more access to the outside of secretion of HCl
Describe the steps of acid production in the proton pumps of parietal cells
Water cleaved to OH- and H+
H+ is exchanged for K+ (H+ goes out, K+ comes in) via H/K/ATPase pumps. H+ is secreted into lumen of canaliculus.
On the opposite side (membrane by interstitial fluid), Na/K/ATPase pumps exchange Na+ for K+ (Na+ goes out, K+ goes into cell). This contributes to passive excretion b/c of high intracellular gradient of K+, which allows for exchange with hydrogen.
Na+ will leak into cell from lumen of canaliculus which drives the Na/K/ATPase pump
Carbon dioxide that diffuses into the cell combines with the OH- ion to form bicarb (HCO3-)
BIcarb is exchanged for Cl- from the interstitial fluid. Chloride passively diffuses all the way through the parietal cell to the lumen of canaliculus
Finally, water passes through parietal cell to canaliculus.
What hormones inhibit acid secretion by parietal cells?
Secretin
CCK
Prostaglandins
Dopamine
Somatostatin
GIP
Peptide YY
Enteroglucagon
What is pepsinogen and where does it come from?
Precursor for pepsin, which is a protein digestive enzyme
Comes from chief cells
What two main stimulus cause release of pepsinogen?
ACh binding chief cells (from vagus nerve)
HCl secretion from parietal cells
Pepsin results in how much of total protein digestion?
10-20%
What stimulus tells D cells to release somatostatin?
Decrease in gastric pH (happens when food starts to leave the stomach –> parietal cells are still secreting acid but food is no longer there to buffer it so it creates a very acidic environment)
What is the paracrine action of somatostatin?
Inhibit gastrin secretion by G cells (this leads to decreased activation of ECL cells which in turn decreases activation of parietal cells leading to decreased acid production)
What is the endocrine action of somatostatin?
Decrease parietal cell acid secretion
What is the neurocrine action of somatostatin?
Decreases gastric motility
What are the phases of gastric secretion?
Cephalic phase - 30%
Gastric phase - 60%
Intestinal phase - 10%
What stimulates the cephalic phase of gastric secretion and what happens in this phase?
Stimulated by sight/smell of food
ACh release from Vagus n.
Gastrin release from G cell
Histamine release from ECL cells
What stimulates the gastric phase of gastric secretion and what happens in this phase?
Stimulated by gastric digestion and release of peptides, as well as stretch of the stomach
Gastrin is released by G cells
What stimulates the intestinal phase of gastric secretion and what happens in this phase?
Stimulated by gastric emptying
Causes decrease in intestinal and gastric antral pH –> mediated by release of somatostatin from D cells, release of secretin from S cells, and release of CCK from I cells
What is Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome (ZES) and what tumor type is it associated with?
Triad of Non-B-islet cell tumor of pancreas, hypergastrinemia, and refractory peptic ulcer disease
Can be sporadic and a genetically linked form, sporadic more common
Gastrinomas
What is MEN-1?
Rare heritable disorder in people characterized by predisposition to tumors of the parathyroid gland, anterior pituitary gland, and pancreatic islet cells
What PANCREATIC cell types transform to form gastrinomas in dogs and cats?
Delta cells
Gastrinomas cause excessive release of __.
Gastrin
What changes to the GIT result from excessive release of gastrin in cases of gastrinomas?
Esophageal and gastroduodenal erosins and ulcerations
Enzymatic maldigestion
Gastric antral hypertrophy (b/c gastrin stimulates growth of these cells) –> results in delayed gastric emptying and possible gastric outflow obstruction
What are the two most common clinical signs associated with gastrinomas?
Vomiting
Weight loss
How do we diagnose a gastrinoma in veterinary medicine?
Measure fasting serum gastrin
If >3x reference range (often will be at least 10x reference range)
Remember gastrin levels may be transiently normal so you may need to retest
What drugs can be used to treat gastrinomas?
Somastostatin analogs
What is an example of a somatostatin analog?
Ocretotide
What does ocretoide do?
Inhibits gastric acid release form parietal cells
Inhibits gastrin release from G cells
Decreases tumor load in gastrinomas
Reduces ECL cell hyperplasia
What two hormones in the stomach are involved in control of hunger?
Grehlin
Leptin
__ increases hunger and __ stimulates satiety/decreases hunger
Grehlin increases hunger
Leptin stimulates satiety
Where is the majority of ghrelin produced? What are other minor sites that produce ghrelin?
Major source= stomach, specifically from the oxyntic glands
Also intestine, pancreas, hypothalamus
What stimulates ghrelin release?
FASTING
What are the actions of ghrelin?
Acts on pituitary to stimulate growth hormone secretion
Stimulates appetite, body growth, and fat deposition
Decreases production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (like NFkB) and increases production of anti-inflammatory cytokines (like IL-10)
Increases rate of gastric emptying (which may be helpful in post-op ileus)
What is an example of a ghrelin agonist?
Capromorelin (Entyce in dogs/Elura in cats)
Capromorelin is though to help with lean muscle mass due to effects on what two substances?
Growth hormone
IGF-1 concentrations
Transient increases in GH and sustained increase in IGF-1 concentrations has been documented in healthy adult beagles. Concern theoretically that it may lead to insulin resistance, so use caution in diabetics
What cells secrete leptin?
Adiopocytes
What is the stimulus for leptin scretion?
Increased adipose tissue
What are actions of leptin?
Decrease production of appetite stimulators in hypothalamus (neuropeptide Y, Agouti-related protein)
Activation of POMC neurons (alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone which increases activation of melanocortin receptors)
Increases sympatetic activity which leads to increased metabolic rate and increased energy expenditure
Decreased insulin secretion
Increased TNF-alpha productions and macrophage activation—> makes inflammatory conditions worse
What cells of the duodenum secrete secretin?
S cells
S cells are also found in the jejunum
What stimulates release of secretin?
Low duodenal pH
Intraduodenal lipid
Aka chyme entering duodenum
Secretin acts in an edocrine/paracrine/autocrine function
Endocrine - enters bloodstream and travels to stomach to act on parietal cells
What are the actions of secretion?
Inhibit acid secretion by inhibition of parietal cells
Slows gastric emptying
Secretion of HCO3- rich pancreatic fluid
Cholecystokinin (CCK) is released from what cells of the duodenum?
I cells
I cells are also found in the jejunal mucosa
What stimulates CCK release?
Intraduodenal FAs, amino acids, and H+ ions
Usually driven by amino acids
Does CCK act in an endocrine/paracrine/neurocrine manner?
Endocrine
What organs does CCK act on?
Pancreas
Gallbladder
What are the actions of CCK in the pancreas?
Potentiates secretin
Pancreatic enzyme secretion - acts on acinar cells
Stimulation of pancreatic growth
What are the actions of CCK in the gallbladder?
Gall bladder contraction
Relaxation of sphincter of Oddi
What two cell types are found in the exocrine pancreas?
Acinar cells
Ductal cells
Which pancreatic digestive enzymes are secreted by acinar cells?
Which are secreted in their active form?
Amylase
Lipase
Trypsinogen
Amylase and lipase secreted in active form
What enzyme converts trypsinogen to trypsin?
Enterokinase - this is a brush border enzyme
What stimulates acinar cells to secrete digestive enzymes?
CCK
ACh
Amylase digests what?
Starch
Lipase hydrolyzes what?
Triglycerides
What stimulates ductal cells to release bicarb and water?
Secretin
What are the three phases of pancreatic secretion?
Cephalic - 20%
Gastric - 5-10%
Intestinal - 70-75%
What do bile acids do?
Help emulsify large fat particles of food to smaller particles that can be digested by lipase enzymes
In the duodenum, bile acids are ionized to form __, which prevents their reabsorption from the small intestine.
Bile salts
In the ileum, bile acids are deconjugated into what?
Secondary bile acids
What are the two most common secondary bile acids?
Deoxycholic acid
Lithocholic acid
Can secondary bile acids be reabsorbed from the distal ileum?
Yes - this is enterohepatic recirculation
What percentage of bile acids are reabsorbed for enterohepatic recirculation and what percentage are excreted?
95% reabsorbed
5% secreted
In the liver, what amino acid are bile acids conjugated to?
Taurine (main in dogs, only one in cats)
Glycine to a lesser extent in dogs (not in cats)
What is an incretin?
A hormone that stimulates pancreatic insulin release
What cells in the duodenum produce GIP?
K cells
What stimulates release of GIP?
Intraduodenal FA and AAs, and to a lesser degree carbohydrates
Does GIP act in endocrine/paracrine/neurocrine function?
Endocrine - travels via blood to act on parietal cells and pancreatic Beta cells)
What are the actions of GIP?
Inhibition of gastric acid secretion (acts on parietal cells)
Stimulation of pancreatic insulin release during hyperglycemia
Other than GIP, what is the other main incretin?
Enteroglucagon/Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)
Where is GLP-1 produced?
L cells of the ileum and colon (widely distributed throughout the gut in cats)
What is the stimulus for GLP-1 release?
Intraluminal glucose and lipids
What are the actions of GLP-1?
Inhibit gastric acid secretion
Acts on pancreatic islet (Beta) cells to stimulate insulin secretion
Acts as the “ileal brake” - when there are FAs in the ileum it will act on the stomach to inhibit gastric emptying