Gastrointestinal Flashcards
Explain the innervation of the GI tract.
• innervated by both an intrinsic and extrinsic autonomic nervous system (ANS).
What is the relationship between peptide hormones, the gut nervous system, and the gut itself?
- Peptide hormones, secreted into the blood by endocrine cells scattered along the GI tract, act both at the level of the digestive organs and the CNS.
- The secretion and actions of gut hormones are intimately associated with ANS innervation of the GI tract.
Summary review card: Explain the difference between para and sympathetic innervation (extrinsic innervation) of the gut…
What extrinsic nerve (or ganglion) serves to innervate the gut?
What neurotransmitter is released?
Which branch of the extrinsic N.S. activates vs inhibits the gut?
- Para: Mostly Vagus and some Pelvic nerve. Post-ganglionic fibers release ACh (cholinergic). Activates digestion.
- Symp: Cardiac Ganglion, Superior Mestenteric Ganglion, Inferior Mesenteric Ganglion. Post-ganglionic fibers release nor-epi (adrenergic). Sympa inhibits digestion
- Note: pre-ganglionic ganglion always release ACh.
What comprises the intrinsic nervous system of the gut?
- Auerbach’s plexus (myenteric) between the circular and longitudinal muscles
- Meissner’s plexus (submucosal) in the submucosa deep to the circular muscles
- Note: para and sympa can interact with these plexuses
Fact: Endocrine cells fall into the broad category of “clear cells” which produce amines and peptides.
Fact: Endocrine cells fall into the broad category of “clear cells” which produce amines and peptides.
What is the significance of the “open” configuration of endocrine cells in the gasteroenero-pancreatic (GEP) system?
- luminal and serosal face
- enables cells to be affected by luminal factors
- potential for exocrine, paracrine, and endocrine functions
Which endocrine cells of the GEP system do not have an open configuration?
• pancreas and oxyntic region of the stomach
What are the to general groups of GEP hormones?
- Secretin and Gastrin families
* Note: there are others that do not fit neatly into those two families
What are peptides that make up the secretin family?
- Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide (VIP)
- Gastric Inhibitory Polypeptide (GIP)
- Pancreatic glucagon
- Gut Glucacon-like Immunoreactivity (GLP-1)
- Bombesin aka Gastrin Releasing Peptide (GRP)
- Chymodenin (not always considered part of this group)
What is Bombesin?
• Bombesin (aka GRP) is a vagal transmitter ==> release of gastrin following vagal stimulation
What peptides make up the Gastrin family?
- Gastrin
- cholecystokinin (CCK)
- motilin
- enkephalin
- Cerulein (not found in mammals)
What are GEP peptides that do not fall into the Gastrin or Secretin families?
- pancreatic polypeptide (PP)
- somatostatin (SRIH)
- urogastrone
- chymodenin
- tachykinins (substance-P like peptides)
Note: Gastrin is unique in that different types of grastrin have huge size differences. CCK also has some size differences.
Note: Gastrin is unique in that different types of grastrin have huge size differences. CCK also has some size differences.
What are the four major forms of gastrin? What are their relative sizes? Which is the most active?
- Preprogastrin (largest)
- Big gastrin (34 aa) (maybe a Progastrin?)
- Unnamed 17 aa form (most active)
- Unnamed 14 aa form
What are sulfonated and unsulfonated forms of gastrin? What is a guestimate on how many types of gastrin are in circulation?
- Each type of gastrin seems to have both a sulfonated and unsulfonated form, thereby doubling the number of types
- 20 or more
What is the form of gastrin most often used clinically?
Pentagastrin
What is pentagastrin?
- a synthetic pentapeptide
- C-terminal: gastrin and beta-alanine
- N-terminal blocking agent: tertiary butyloxycarbonyl (tBOC).
There several sizes of CCK. What is the active component of different CCKs?
C-terminal octadecapeptide
Does CCK only affect the GI tract?
• The smallest form of CCK may be neuronal and act as a neurotransmitter.
With all different sizes of Gastrin and CCK, it seems like changes aren’t such a big deal. What are some changes to Gastrin and CCK that diminish their activity?
• deamidation of the C-terminal residue or removal of the sulfate groups considerably diminishes the activity of both gastrin and CCK.
Does secretin have different sizes?
- Only one size biologically active size
* 27 a.a. residues
What are the major physiological roles of the Gastrins?
- stimulation of H+ from oxyntic cells ==> which also releases pepsinogen from chief cells
- a trophic action on the mucosa of the stomach (possibly caused by luminal gastrin)
- stimulation of gastric motility
What two compounds does Gastrin work with synergistically?
- Acetylcholine Ach
* Histamine
What nerve causes release of ACh at the stomach?
What does ACh release at the stomach then cause?
• Vagal impules ==> Ach release ==> GRP (gastrin releasing peptide, bombesin) ==> Gastrin
What stomach receptors do histmine bind to?
• type 2 histamine receptors
What drugs block histamine release?
• Tagamet (cymetidine)
What happens to Gastrins effects if histamine or Ach are blocked?
• There is only minimal H+ release by gastrin
Why should anti-histamines not be used indiscriminately?
• histamine type 2 receptors in the brain