Gastrointestinal Flashcards
How doe diarrhoea kill children?
Fluid and electrolyte imbalance - immediate
Malnutrition - delayed
What is the association between diarrhoea and malnutrition?
Increased energy loss - Diarrhoea and vomiting - Increased metabolic needs Reduced energy intake - Malabsorption - Withholding of food
How do the proportions of infective causes of diarrhoea vary between developing and developed countries?
More bacterial and parasitic diarrhoea in developing countries
More viral diarrhoea in developed countries
What is dysentery and what is it caused by?
Presence of blood, pus, and mucus in faeces
Caused by
- Shigella = enteroinvasive E coli (EIEC)
- Amoeba
- Non-infectious sources
What are the aetiological agents of foodborne diarrhoea (food poisoning)?
Staphylococcus aureus - pre-formed toxin ingested Salmonella Clostridium perfringens Bacillus Vibrio cholerae Listeria - associated with soft cheese Viruses - Rotavirus - Norovirus Ciguatoxin
What organism causes antibiotic-associated colitis?
Clostridium difficile
How does haemorrhagic colitis differ from dysentery? What is it caused by?
Blood present, but no pus in faeces
Caused by enterohaemorrhagic E coli (EHEC)
What is the cause of cholera-like diarrhoea which is not caused by V cholerae?
Enterotoxic E coli (ETEC)
What are the types of diarrhoea producing E coli, and what diseases do they produce?
ETEC = watery diarrhoea
- Colony factor Ags allow for adhesion to brush border
- Produces enterotoxins
Enteropathogenic E coli (EPEC) = non-specific gastroenteritis
- Adhesins: intimin, Bfp
- Produces T3S effectors
EHEC = blood diarrhoea = haemorrhagic colitis
- Causes haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS)
- Evolved in EPEC
- Adhesins: intimin, Efa
- Produces Shiga toxins
EIEC = dysentery
- Doesn’t cause HUS because doesn’t produce Shiga toxin
- Adhesin: IpaC
- Produces Sen toxin
Enteroaggregative E coli (EAEC) = watery diarrhoea
- Adhesin: AAF
- Produces Pet and EAST
Which diarrhoea-causing bacteria are adhesive enterotoxigenic?
Cholera
ETEC
Which diarrhoea-causing bacteria are adhesive with brush border damage?
EPEC
Which diarrhoea-causing bacteria have invasion restricted to the mucosa?
Shigella
Which diarrhoea-causing bacteria invade the submucosa?
Salmonella
Campylobacter
Which diarrrhoea-causing bacteria systemically invade?
Salmonella
Why can Salmonella typhi cause enteric fever?
Can survive in macrophages, especially in immunocompromised people
What are the virulence determinants of diarrhoea causing agents?
Adhesins
Invasive ability
Exotoxins
Ability to resist killing
How is laboratory diagnosis of diarrhoea causing agents made?
Macroscopic appearance
Miscroscopy
Culture for bacteria only
Ag detection used mainly for viruses and parasites
Detection of nucleic acid for viruses, bacteria, and protozoa
What is the treatment of diarrhoea?
Replace fluid and electrolytes Reduce fluid loss - Anti-diarrhoeals - Anti-motility agents - Anti-secretory agents - Binding agents - Antibiotics
What are the common structural features of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT)?
Mucosa
Submucosa
Muscularis externa
Serosa/adventitia
Describe the subcomponents of the mucosa
Mucosa = innermost layer Sensing and responding to contents Epithelium - Columnar enterocytes/stratified squamous epithelium - May also include endocrine cells - Renewed every 5-6 days Lamina propria - loose connective tissue containing - Nerves - Blood vessels - Immune cells Muscularis mucosae - Thin layer of smooth muscle - Forms boundary of mucosa - Facilitates mixing Most diverse layer of GIT Varies from region to region
Describe the subcomponents of the submucosa
Dense irregular connective tissue - gives structural strength and elasticity Contains - nerves - Ganglia - Blood vessels Sometimes contains - Glands - Immune cells
Describe the subcomponents of the muscularis externa
Responsible for gut movement Usually has 2 layers of smooth muscle - except for stomach - Inner circular - Myenteric plexus between 2 layers - Outer longitudinal
What is the difference between serosa and adventitia?
Serosa secretes fluid from simple squamous epithelium > allows organ movement
- Contains thin layer of connective tissue
Adventitia = connective tissue joining GIT with surrounding structures
- Present in parts of oesophagus and rectum
- Doesn’t secrete fluid
What does the enteric nervous system regulate?
Absorption and secretion regulated by submucosa ganglia
Smooth muscle activity regulated by myenteric ganglia
Describe the histology of the oesophagus
Non-keratinising squamous epithelium Submucosal glands - Secrete mucus to lubricate movement 2 muscle types - Top = striated - Bottom = smooth
Describe the structure of the gastric glands
Vary between cardia, corpus, and pylorus Mucous cells - Secrete mucus - In isthmus and neck Parietal cells - Secrete HCl - In isthmus, neck, and base Chief cells - Secrete pepsinogen - In base Enteroendocrine cells - Secrete gastrin - In neck and base
Describe the histology of the small intestine
Villi = finger-like extensions of mucosa
- Covered by simple columnar epithelium
- Each epithelial cell has microvilli
Very folded surface = plicae circulares - maximise surface area for absorption
What are the absorptive and secretory zones of the small intestine?
At level of villus, tubular glands > secrete fluid and mucus into lumen between villi
Glands = crypts of Lieberkuhn
Absorption through microvilli on enterocyte surface of villi
What are the epithelial cells of the small intestine?
Enterocytes = fluid transport and absorption Goblet cells = mucus secretion Enteroendocrine cells = hormones Paneth cells = secrete anti-microbial peptides - deep in glands Stem cells = renew epithelium
What are the distinctive features of the duodenum?
Brunner’s glands in submucosa
- Release alkaline mucus to inactivate stomach enzymes and neutralise acid from stomach
Low plicae circulares
Long villi
What are the distinctive features of the ileum?
Peyer’s patches = massive lymphoid follicles
- Very basophilic
Short villi
More goblet cells
What is distinctive about the large intestine’s muscularis externa?
3 bundles of longitudinal muscle form taeniae coli
How do the large intestinal glands differ from those of the small intestine?
No villi
Straight tubular glands, compared to coiled Brunner’s glands
Columnar epithelium
Why do the large intestine and rectum contain more goblet cells?
Lubrication for increasingly solid material in lumen
How do the types of epithelium in the large intestine differ from the types in the small intestine?
In large intestine
- Paneth chells rare
- Higher proportion of goblet cells
What are the key regulatory functions of the GIT?
Control contractions of intestinal smooth muscle
Regulate secretion of digestive enzymes and solvents needed for their proper function
Control reabsorption of water from lumen to prevent dehydration
Coordinate widely separated regions to ensure proper function
What are the local control systems of the gut?
Enteric nervous system - Controls contractile activity - Controls secretion of water and salt - Control over mm-cm = local action Interstitial cells of Cajal - Pacemaker cells > produce rhythmic activity in muscle - Nervous system operates on top of this
Describe the endocrine control system of the gut
Signals from intestinal mucosa to ancillary organs like
- Brain
- Pancreas
- Gall bladder
Essential for secretion of enzymes and solvents into intestinal lumen, and regulating appetite
What do enterochromaffin cells release?
Serotonin
What are the mucosal enteroendocrine cells?
Enterochromaffin cells CCK-secreting cells Secretin-secreting cells Somatostatin-secreting cells GLP-secreting cells ECL cells release histamine
What are the reflex pathways involved in the GIT?
Vago-vagal reflex pathways coordinate movements in upper GIT
- Control of swallowing
- Regulates acid secretion in stomach
- Coordinates contractions of stomach and duodenum
Instestino-intestinal reflexes
- Some mediated by vagus
- Others via dorsal root ganglia and spinal cord
- Viscerofugal neurons have cell bodies in gut wall and project out to pre-vertebral sympathetic ganglia > reflex inhibition of enteric nervous system
CNS control relating to anticipation, mood, and activity
Describe the cephalic phase of digestion
Triggered by sight, smell, and taste of food
Causes
- Salivation
- Gastric acid and pepsin secretion
- Relaxation of gastric corpus and fundus
Operates via vagus nerve
Accounts for 30% of acid secretion in stomach
Sets up stomach to store food and begins barrier function of GIT
Describe the general control of acid and pepsin secretion
Acetylcholine from enteric neurons excited by vagal efferent neurons stimulates
- ECL cells to release histamine > histamine stimulates parietal cells
- Parietal cells to release H
- G cells to produce gastrin
Acetylcholine inhibits
- D cells from producing somatostain
How is peristalsis controlled in the oesophagus? How does this differ to the rest of the GIT?
Entirely under neural control via vagus nerve
As opposed to rest of GIT > under enteric nervous system control
Secondary peristalsis can be activated in oesophagus if vagus nerve fails
What happens when chewed food enters the stomach?
Fundus and corpus of stomach relax to accommodate volume of food swallowed > distension activates enteric and vago-vagal reflexes > more acid and pepsin secretion
Due to interstitial cells of Cajal: large pacemaker potentials > strong constrictions > propagate from corpus to pylorus > drive food towards pyloric sphincter
Food enters antrum > reflex inhibition of acid secretion in corpus > continued constriction driving food towards closed sphincter > acid, protease, and mechanical activity separate components of food > liberates fat - floats to top of stomach
What happens to food in the antrum of the stomach?
Continual grinding up in presence of protease and water > food becomes dilute paste
Peptide bonds broken
Amylase breaks carbohydrates up
Pylorus opens briefly by relaxing pyloric sphincter due to enteric nervous activity > squirt of food mixed with acid and pepsin enters duodenum
What is the response to acid in the duodenum?
Activates D cells in mucosa of duodenum to release somatostatin
- Enters portal circulation to reach stomach
Excites terminals of vagal afferent neurons > triggers vago-vagal reflex > Brunner’s glands release mucus and bicarbonate
Vago-vagal reflex inhibits gastric emptying
Duodenal-pyloro-antral reflex closes pylorus > inhibits gastric emptying
What does the presence of fatty acids and amino acids in the duodenum activate? What is the consequence of this?
Release of CCK from I cells
Leads to
- Excitation of terminals of vagal afferent neurons > activates many gastric reflexes > inhibits appetite
- Excitation of intrinsic neurons > stimulates mixing behaviours of bolus of food and enzymes
- Release of digestive enzymes from pancreas
- Contraction of gallbladder > forces bile down common bile duct > duodenum
Amino acids trigger release of secretin from S cells
What is the role of secretin in the duodenum?
Triggers secretion of bicarbonate-rich solution from pancreas > neutralises acid in duodenal lumen
What does neutralising acid in the duodenum do?
Inactivates pepsin
Stops somatostatin secretion from duodenal D cells
Removes inhibition of gastric emptying by somatostatin-stimulated reflexes
Describe sensing in the intestinal mucosa
Sensory information from mechanical stimuli
- Distension stretches mechanoreceptors > activates vagal afferents
- Mucosal deformation
Sensory information from chemical stimuli acting via enterochromaffin and enteroendocrine cells
- Nutrients and other stimuli act on apical surface receptors > mediator release from basolateral surface
How do mucosal cells “taste” the lumen?
Enterochromaffin and enteroendocrine cells in intestinal crypts express same taste receptors as those on tongue for bitter and savoury flavours
Tastants cause release of serotonin
L cells express components of sweet taste receptors
What hormones do L cells release? What are their functions?
Release in duodenum and jejunum - GLP-1 - GLP-2 - PYY GLP-1 and GLP-2 = carbohydrate absorption and insulin resistance PYY = appetite regulation
What are the types of motor patterns of the GIT?
Retropulsion = constrictions running towards pylorus mixes pancreatic juices and bile with food > activates and facilitates digestion Segmentation = local constrictions alternating with relaxation mix food with digestive enzymes and bile > brings nutrients to epithelium Peristalsis = propels contents into new regions of intestine
Describe what happens to food as it passes from the jejunum to the colon
Absorption of water makes content more viscous > increases resistance to flow
High levels of anaerobic bacteria in colon > feed off and ferment colonic contents > release short-chain fatty acids > stimulate enteric reflexes
What causes defecation?
Distension of rectum triggers urge to defecate via sacral primary afferent neurons
Mass movement contractions move faecal matter from colon to rectum
Conscious neural activity relaxes anal sphincter and contracts abdominal muscles for normal defecation
What is the migrating motor complex?
Wave of constriction initiated in antrum/upper duodenum
Propagating slowly to ilio-colonic junction
Constriction clears bacterial and cellular debris from otherwise empty lumen
What are the gastric pits lined by?
Foveolar epithelium
True or false: there are normally lymphocytes in the gastric lamina propria
False
Why does the stomach not digest itself?
Gastric mucosal barrier
Contains bicarbonate to neutralise acid
Phospholipid monolayer in direct contact with lumen > prevent water from entering
How may the gastric mucosal barrier be broken down?
Organisms that can survive acid
NSAIDs which block prostaglandin synthesis
Bile - refluxes from duodenum and antrum > disrupts surface hydrophobic layer
Alcohol - breaks down permeability barrier
How do prostaglandis prevent and reverse mucosal injury in the stomach?
Inhibit acid secretion
Stimulate bicarbonate and mucus secretions
Increase mucosal blood flow
Modify local inflammation
How is inflammation initiated when there is breakdown of the mucosal barrier?
HCl can gain access to lamina propria and stimulate mast cells to produce histamine > start inflammatory process
What are the common causes of acute gastritis?
Chemical injury Alcohol/drugs Stress Shock Burns Head injury Septiceamia Staphylococcal food poisoning
How does acute gastritis heal?
Regeneration in 24-48 hrs due to rapid cell turnover in stomach
What is the difference between gastric erosion, acute and chronic peptic ulcers?
Erosion = defect above muscularis mucosae
Acute ulcer = defect penetrating muscularis mucosae and submucosa
Chronic ulcer = defect penetrating deeper than submucosa with dense fibrosis at base
What are the main types of causes of chronic gastritis?
Autoimmune
Helicobacter-associated
Chemical
Describe the autoimmune cause of chronic gastritis
Immune-mediated destruction of acid secreting tubules > atrophy > achlorhydria and loss of intrinsic factor > pernicious anaemia
- Caused by circulating autoAbs to parietal cell membrane H/K ATPase, IF receptor, and gastrin receptor
Confined to gastric corpus mucosa with total loss of parietal cells
Loss of HCl and parietal cells causes hypergastrinaemia > linear and nodular ECL hyperplasia and occasionally carcinoidosis
- Hypergastrinaemia due to lack of stimulation of D cells by HCl
Describe helicobacter-associated chronic gastritis
Helicobacter pylori uses its flagella to enter mucosal gel layer > colonises neutral area where it can survive
Secretes urease to increase pH
- Ammonium toxic to cells
Uses adhesins to attach to gastric surface epithelium and intercellular junctions
Neutrophilic gastritis as acute inflammatoryresponse
- Acute foveolitis = damage to gastric pits > replacement with intestinal mucosa = intestinal metaplasia > dysplasia and carcinogenesis
- Soluble Ags/chemoattractants
- IL-8
Infiltration with chronic inflammatory cells at 4 wks
Infection has low clearance rate and generally persists for life when established
Describe chemical chronic gastritis
Reflux of bile and alkaline duodenal juice due to
- Altered antro-duodenal motility
- Gastro-jejunostomy
- Long term use of aspirin/NSAIDs
Direct mucosal injury: disruption of mucous layer and gastric barrier > epithelial desquamation
Compensatory foveolar hyperplasia with
- Elongation and tortuosity of gastric pits
- Vasodilation
- Oedema
- Fibromuscular hyperplasia of lamina propria
- Mild inflammatory cell infiltration
Describe the progression from normal mucosa to adenocarcinoma due to chronic H pylori infection
Normal mucosa > H pylori infection > chronic gastritis > atrophic gastritis > intestinal metaplasia > dysplasia > adenocarcinoma
What are the longer-term outcomes of gastritis?
Chronic gastritis >
- Antral predominant gastritis > duodenal ulcer (age 20-40)
- Multifocal atrophic gastritis >
- Gastric ulcer (age 40-70)
- Gastric cancer (age >70)
What is another name for multifocal gastritis?
Pan-gastritis
What are the two main patterns of H pylori gastritis?
Antrum-predominant - Chronic inflammation - Neutrophils - Increased acid output - In duodenum - Gastric metaplasia - Active chronic inflammation - Duodenal ulcer risk Pan-gastritis - Chronic inflammation - Neutrophils - Atrophy - Intestinal metaplasia - Reduced acid output - Normal duodenum - Gastric ulcer risk
How does antrum-dominant H pylori gastritis lead to dudenal ulcers?
More acid in D1 section > duodenal mucosa comes to resemble gastric mucosa > H pylori colonises D1 > active chronic duodenitis > duodenal ulcer
What are the diseases associated with H pylori?
Peptic ulcer disease Gastric adenocarcinoma Gastric B-cell lymphoma of MALT Iron-deficiency anaemia Atrophic gastritis > increase in susceptibility to bacterial gastroenteritis and B12 deficiency
What are the most common sites for peptic ulcer disease?
Most common in D1 and antrum
Oesophagus at squamo-columnar junction with gastric cardia/Barrett’s mucosa
Gastro-enterostomy stoma
Meckel’s diverticulum
Describe the chronic ulceration found in peptic ulcer disease
Deep, sharply punched out
Destroying all layers through muscularis propria to subserosa
Scarring at base drawing in gastric folds to its margin
Scarring precludes restoration of submucosa and muscularis propria, leaving radial scar on healing with partial restitution of specialised gastric mucosa
- Replaced by intestinal and pyloric gland metaplasia
What are the four histological layers of an ulcer in peptic ulcer disease?
Exudate of fibrin, neutrophils, and necrotic debris
Narrow zone of fibrinoid necrosis
Zone of granulation tissue
Zone of fibrosis
What are the possible complications of peptic ulcer disease?
Perforation from anteriorly located ulcers > generalised peritonitis
Haemorrhage due to erosion of artery > haematemesis, melaena, anaemia
Penetration as ulcer erodes into adjacent organ > fistula
Stenosis due to contraction of fibrous scar > pyloric canal stenosis/lower end oesophageal stenosis
Development of malignancy
What is coeliac disease?
Immune mediated disease in genetically susceptible people, driven by gluten found in wheat, rye, and barley
Results in chronic inflammation of small bowel mucosa
Remission on gluten free diet = hallmark of disease
Describe the process of regeneration of the intestinal epithelium
Cells replaced every 2-3 days
Move from zone of proliferation > zone of maturation > incorporated into villous epithelium
Everyvillus surrounded by group of crypts
What happens if the cells of the intestinal epithelium are being sloughed off at a faster rate than normal?
Enlargement/elongation of zone of proliferation
Describe the microscopic changes associated with advanced coeliac disease
Total villous atrophy with crypt hyperplasia and intraepithelial lymphocytes
- Submucosa entirely normal
- Lymphocytes found in lamina propria and at surface - very few in crypts
What are the three stages of coeliac disease?
Infiltrative (type I): villus:crypt length normal (4:1) but increase in intraepithelial lymphocytes
Hyperplastic (type II): intraepithelial lymphocytosis, elongation and branching of crypts
Destructive (type III): villi shortened and blunted and villus:crypt ratio <1:4
What are the other causes, aside from coeliac disease, of intraepithelial lymphocytosis and villous atrophy with crypt hyperplasia?
Tropical sprue Small bowel bacterial overgrowth Common variable immunodeficiency = deficiency in IgA, IgG, and IgM Autoimmune enteropathy Various drugs
What are the typical clinical presentations of coeliac disease?
Gastrointestinal symptoms - Diarrhoea - Bloating - Abdominal cramps - Flatulence - Steatorrhoea Iron-deficiency anaemia Vitamin deficiency Malabsorption of nutrients Infants: failure to thrive Osteoporosis because of lack of vitamin D Lethargy Migraines Infertility Mouth ulcers
Outline the role of environment in the development of coeliac disease
Breast feeding protective
Timing/amount of gluten introduced to infant diet
- Too much gluten, too soon > increased risk
Infections increase risk
Outline the effect of T cells on coeliac disease
CD4 HLA-DQ2/8 restricted T cells - reactive to gluten-specific epitopes
Reside in small bowel mucosa
Cause damage by producing harmful cytokines; eg: IFN-gamma
CD8 T cells accumulate in epithelium and involved in immune response
Why do toxic gluten peptides survive digestion by the gut?
High content of proline confers resistance to digestion by proteases
Describe the consequence of gluten peptide deamidation
Deamidated gluten peptides bear negatively charged glutamate instead of glutamine Bind to HLA-DQ2 CD4 T cells recognise deamidated peptides presented by MHC class II > activated > produce cytokines
Outline the overall pathophysiology of coeliac disease
Ingestion of gluten peptides > gluten crosses mucosal epithelium > exposure to tTG > deamidated gluten/ross-links gluten > presentation on DC > presentation of deamidated gluten peptide and/or gluten-tTG complex to CD4 T cell
- Th1 response > IFN-gamma
- Secretion of MMPs by fibroblasts > villous flattenning and increased enterocyte death
- Increased cytotoxicty of CD8 T cells against enterocytes > villous flattenning and increased enterocyte death
- IL-15 released by CD8 T cells > promotes survival of CD8 T cells > predisposition to T cell lymphoma
- Th2 response > plasma cells > anti-tTG and anti-gliadin Abs > structural enterocyte change > epithelial damage
How is coeliac disease diagnosed?
Serological testing
- Ab to tTG
- Ab to deamidated gliadin peptide (DPG-IgG)
HLA-DQ haplotyping used to rule out diagnosis if HLA-DQ2/8 absent
Small bowel biopsy during gluten exposure = gold standard
What is EATL?
Enteropathy-associated T cell lymphoma
What is the predominant class of bacteria found in the body?
Gram negative rods
What are the main phyla associated with the human body?
Bacteriodetes
Firmicutes
Actinobacteria
Proteobacteria
What is the development of the microbiota?
Development finished at about 2.5 years
Usually stable after that but can be modified slightly by various events
What are the general roles of the microbiota?
Metabolism
Development
Protection against enteropathogens
What are the factors that influence the gut microbiota?
Mode of delivery Age Diet Antibiotics Genetics Environment Chronic inflammation
What is the effect of diet on the intestinal microbiota?
Short term changes in diet can have profound effect on gut microbial composition
Bacteriodes genus decreases when more Western diet introduced
What is the role of microbiota in nutrition?
Directly supply nutrients
- Carbohydrate breakdown
- Vitamin production
- Bile acid breakdown
- Amino acid metabolism
Alter metabolic machinery of host cells by changing host genes and maintaining enterocyte differentiation/function
- Bacterial degradation of host glucans > new glycan synthesis; eg: mucus
- Produce short chain fatty acids from indigestible carbohydrates
- Induce changes in host genes > promote angiogenesis
Describe the role of the mucosal immune system in immunity
Protects body surfaces
GIT immune system greatest site of Ag challenge as there’s large surface area of small intestine
2 main functions
- Protection from pathogens - IgA
- Tolerance to normal microbiota and food Ags
What are the immune roles of the cells of the villus?
Sites for induction of T and B cell activation
Enterocytes secrete TGF-beta, chemokines, and anti-microbial peptides
Goblet cells secrete mucins, lysozyme, and lactoferrin
Lamina propria lymphocytes
Paneth cells at base of crypts secrete defensins
What villous cells are imporant in inducing tolerance?
Enterocytes
Intraepithelial lymphocytes
What are the innate defences of the gut?
Peristaltic action Acid Mucous layer/glycocalyx = molecular sieve Enterocytes - Barrier - Antimicrobial factors to kill off cells that get through barrier - Cytokines and chemokines Innate leukocytes Mechanisms for controlled Ag access - M cells - DCs
What is the significance of IL-22 in the innate gut immune system?
Enhances antimicrobial defence and epithelial repair and barrier integrity
Produced by NK cells and intraepithelial lymphocytes
How are macrophages in the gut different from those in the rest of the body?
Express lower levels of TLR
Hypo-responsive to TLR signalling
Describe how M cells allow Ag access safely
M cells don’t have villi and don’t secrete mucus > microbial access easier
Located over sites of organised lymphoid aggregates and deliver Ags directly to cells in these aggregates
Ags immediately taken up into DCs and macrophages > present to T and B cells
What is the role of dendritic cells in the mucosa?
Direct sampling of Ag from intestinal mucosa
Indirect sampling of Ag from intestinal mucosa via goblet cells and M cells
Induce variety of T cell differentiation pathways
- Tregs and Th2 in steady state
- Th1 and Th17 during inflammation
Bias B cell isotype switching to secretory IgA
Describe the fate of T and B cells activated in the gut
Activated B cells produce secretory IgA
CD4 T cells have multiple roles depending on their subset
CD8 T cells protect against intracellular infections
Many persist as memory cells
What are the effects of intestinal microflora on the mucous layer and gut epithelium?
Block binding sites
Produce bacteriocins
Interact with PRRs on enterocytes
- Stimulates mucin production
- Stimulates proliferation of crypt enterocytes and Paneth cells
- Stimulates release of antimicrobial peptides
- Induces regulatory cytokines
Short chain fatty acids inhibit production of inflammatory cytokines
IL-22 produced after PAMP interaction promotes epithelial barrier integrity
How does the gut immune system respond differently to normal microbiota and pathogens?
Normal microbiota induce physiological inflammation via Tregs and Th2 cells
Pathogens induce pathological inflammation via Th1 and Th17 cells
What is the role of the gut microbiota in obesity?
High-fat diets/obesity associated with decrease in diversity of microbiota
Low microbial diversity > higher levels of
- Insulin resistane
- Serum triglycerides
- Cholesterol
- Insulin
How may the intestinal microbiota be associated with infectious disease?
Microbiota escapes GIT can cause infections - Urinary - Respiratory - Wound - Peritoneal - Bloodstream Needs abnormality in patient - Anatomical - Functional - Immunocompromised
How may alteration in the intestinal microbiota be a cause of GIT disease?
Susceptibility to infection by gastrointestinal pathogens and/or overgrowth of certain commensals
How is pseudomembranous colitis caused? Where is it commonly found and spread?
Overgrowth of C difficile, usually due to use of antibiotics/cytotoxic drugs
Commonly found and spread in hospitals
How is antibiotic-resistant pseudomembranous colitis treated?
Metronidazole and vancomycin
How is recurrent C difficile treated?
Faecal transplant
What is the role of salivary amylase?
Alpha-amylase hydrolyses alpha1-4 linkages between glucose molecules
How is salivary amylase inactivated?
By acid pH in stomach
How is salivary amylase reactivated?
In duodenum when pH returned to neutral
How are carbohydrates digested in the small intestine?
Pancreatic alpha-amylase secreted due to CCK release from duodenal mucosa
Mixes with luminal contents by segmentation and retropulsion
Pancreatic amylase can’t break alpha1-6 linkages, leaving some oligosaccharides intact
Remainder of digestion happens at brush border mebrane of mucosal enterocytes
Isomaltase breaks alpha1-6 linkages
How is maltase and sucrase activated?
Synthesised as single large glycoprotein
Separated and activated in brush border membrane by pancreatic proteases
How are glucose and galactose transported into intestinal enterocytes at the brush border?
Through Na-dependent glucose transporter (SGLT1)
How is fructose transported into intestinal enterocytes at the brush border?
Facilitated diffusion through GLUT5
How are monosaccharides absorbed into the bloodstream from intestinal enterocytes?
GLUT2
Describe protein digestion in the stomach
Pepsinogen secreted from chief cells in stomach
Pepsinogen > pepsin by gastric acid
Pepsin hydrolyses bonds between amino acids > polypeptides
Pepsin inactivated at neutral pH in stomach
Describe protein digestion in the duodenum and jejunum
CCK released triggered by amino acids in small intestine
Secretion of pancreatic proteaases as proenzymes
Enterokinase in brush border membrane activates cleavage of trypsinogen > trypsin
Trypsin cascades cleavage of other proenzymes
Peptidases break up polypeptides into mix of short peptides and free amino acids
How are proteins digested at the brush border membrane?
So di- and tri-peptides transported directly into enterocytes > broken to free amino acids by enteroyte peptidases
Free amino acids transported into enterocytes via various transport systems
How is lipase secreted?
In inactivated form
Activated by colipase
Colipase activated by trypsin
What is the role of gastric lipase?
Minor
Produces just enough fatty acid to stimulate duodenal fatty acid receptors to release CCK
How are lipids absorbed?
Inside micelles - brought to apical surface of epithelial cells at tips of villi
Contact enterocyte membrane > dissolve in membrane > enter cells
Inside enterocytes, reformed in smooth ER and coated with apolipoproteins > chylomicrons
Chylomicrons secreted into lymphatics by exocytosis
Where, apart from via digestion of fats, are short chain fatty acids produced in the body?
Proximal colon by fermentation of dietary fibre
Absorbed in distal small bowel and proximal part of colon via H dependent mechanism
Contribute significantly to total energy intake
Describe the early development of an embryo
Egg fertilised in Fallopian tube > moves into uterus, propelled by cilia > cell division continues > blastocyst formation > implants into uterine wall between 5 and 10 days
What is gastrulation?
Formation of 3 germ layers by epiblast
What are the derivatives of the ectoderm?
Nervous system
Epidermis
What are the derivatives of the mesoderm?
Blood Heart Kidneys Gonads Most - Bones - Muscles - Connective tissues
What are the derivatives of the endoderm?
Epithelium of gut and associated organs
Describe the formation of the nervous system
Notochord induces overlying ectoderm to form neural plate > neural plate folds in on itself to form neural tube > neural crest cells separate from neural tube
What is the most common congenital heart defect?
Ventricular septal defect
- From failure to divide single ventricle into left and right ventricles