Gastrointestinal Physiology Flashcards
colorectal cancer is the __ deadliest cancer in US
2nd
Diarrhea is the __ leading cause of death worldwide
3rd
segments of the GI tract
mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, sphincters between segments
GI tract accessory organs
salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, pancreas
layers of the GI tract (outside to inside)
- serosa (outerlining)
- longitudinal muscle
- myenteric (Auerbach’s) nerve plexus
- circular muscle
- submucosa
- submucosa (Meissner’s) nerve plexus
- muscularis mucosae
- mucosa
- epithelial linging
major functions of the digestive system
- motility
- digestion
- absorption
- secretion
2 processes of digestion
- mechanical (chewing/mastication)
- chemical (action of enzymes)
absorption
- mechanism of the nutrients being digested are then being absorbed from the GI lumen into the blood stream
___ helps with digestion and absorption
secretions
where does most absorption occur?
small intestine
once the nutrients are absorbed from the GI lumen, where do the nutrients in the blood stream go?
to the liver
motility
food keeps moving along the GI tract through this process, aided by contractions of the smooth muscle in the GI tract
HPV connects the __ as well as the __ to the liver, where the liver gets nutrients first
small intestine; colon
endocrines (hormones)
all GI hormones are peptides released into the blood to act on the distant target cells
GI hormones
-gastrin
-secretin
-cholecystokinin (CCK)
-glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GLIP) or gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP)
-motilin
paracrines
some are peptides (somatostatin), and some are not (exp. histamine)
histamine
- gastrin and ACh cause release from cells in stomach
- stimulates acid secretion
what does a Histamine H2 receptor blocker do?
- decreases acid secretion
exp. of histamine H2 blockers
Cimetidine (Tagamet), Ranitidine (Zantac)
Neurocrines (neurotransmitters)
- some are peptides (VIP - vasoactive intestinal peptide), some are not (ACh, NE)
- nerves release –> diffuse to target cells
site of production gastrin
antrum of stomach
site fo production CCK
small intestine
site of production secretin
small intestine
Gastrin does what to stomach 1.) acid secretion 2.) motility
stimulates, stimulates
CCK does what to stomach 1.) acid secretion 2.) motility
inhibits, inhibits
secretin does what to stomach 1.) acid secretion 2.) motility
inhibits, inhibits
intrinsic control
enteric nervous system
enteric nervous system (ENS)
- myenteric (Auerbach’s) plexus
- submucosal (Meissner’s) plexus
extrinsic control
autonomic nervous system
- PNS (rest & digest)
- SNS
what stimulates the PNS?
ACh
what stimulates the SNS?
mainly inhibits via NE
GI reflexes
- local within (ENS)
- long loop
local reflexes
- afferent fibers from gut terminates in ENS
- affects (+ or -) secretion, peristalsis, mixing movement
long loop reflex
gut –> afferent nerve –> prevertebral ganglia –> efferent nerve –> gut
reflexes: gastrocolic, enterogastric, colonoileal
Vagovaval reflexes
stomach/ duodenum –> aff. N. –> brain stem –> Eff. N. –> stomach/duodenum
controls gastric motor and secretory activity
defecation reflexes
colon/rectum –> aff. N. –> spinal cord –> Eff. N. –> colon/rectum
pain reflexes - overall
inhibition of GI tract
GI regulation of smooth muscle
- unitary (single-unit) smooth muscle
- slow waves
- spike potentials
- muscle contractions (helps with motility)
unitary (single unit) smooth muscle
- functions as a syncytium
- gap junctions
functions as a syncytium
- nucleated mass of protoplasm produced by merging of cells
- large areas of sm contract as a single unit
gap junctions
- low resistance pathways for ion movement
- between bundles of cells and layers of SM
- signal propagation - AP spreads from cell to cell
- within and between muscle layers
slow waves and spike potentials are caused by
rhythmical changes in membrane potential caused by variations in sodium conductance
slow waves
- interstitial cells of Cajal - pacemaker cells
- dictates maximum frequency of SM contraction
- independent of nervous/hormonal stimuli
- increase in amplitude leads to increase spike potential frequency which leads to increase in strength of contraction
Spike potentials (or APs)
- occurs when slow waves reach threshold (-40 mV)
- casuse SM contraction
- Ca++ entry leads to contraction
- affected by nervous/hormonal stimuli
- increase in frequency leads to stonger contraction
what is required for peristalsis?
Myenteric plexus
gastrointesinal movements
peristalsis
T/F atropine (blcoks ACh receptors) which increases peristalsis
FALSE
segmentation contractions also called?
rhythmic segmentation (local)
where does segmentation contractions occur?
small and large intestines
blood flow proportional to local activity, what happens when you eat a meal?
increase in blood flow (2-3 fold) for 3-6 hours
causes of activity-induced blood flow?
- vasodilator hormones: gastrin, secretin, CCK
- vasodilator kinins
- low oxygen (high adenosine)
what effects the nervous control of blood flow?
- PNS increases gut activity which leads to increased blood flow
- SNS directly decreases blood flow (Autoregulatory escape, exercise, shock)
voluntary
initiates swallowing process
3 stages of swallowing
- voluntary
- pharyngeal
- esophageal
pharyngeal
passage of food through the pharynx into esohagus
esophageal
passage of food from pharynx to stomach
primary peristalsis
swallow-induced peristalsis
secondary peristalsis
elicited by esophageal distention
disorders that could effect swallowing
- CVA (stroke)
- cranial nerve damage
- muscular dx (MG, polio, botulism)
- anesthesia can have an effect
aspiration
UES and pharyngeal contrations are not coordinated
(effect is primary peristalsis)
GERD
backwash of acid, pepsin, and bile into esophagus
heartburn/acid indestion effects (_/10) people
1
GERD can lead to
- stricture of esophagus (scar tissue)
- aspiration
- chronic sinus infection (reflex into throat)
- barrett’s esophagus (lead to esophageal cancer)
what helps with regualtion of gastric emptying?
chyme
what is chyme
- food bous mixed with acid
- must enter duodenuma at a proper rate
- pH must be optimal (7) for enzyme function
- slow enough for nutrient absorption
Immediately after a meal
emptying does not occur before onset of gastric contractions
small intestinal motility contributes to digestion and absorption by
- mixing chyme: with digestive enzymes and other secretions
- circulation of chyme: to achieve optimal exposure to mucosa
- propulsion of chyme: in an aboral direction
two types of movements in small intestine following a meal
- peristalsis: a propulsive movement recall “Law of Gut”
- segmentation: a mixing movement
(regulated by slow waves)
functions of large intestine SM
- mixes chyme: enhances fluid/electrolyte absorption (haustral contractions)
- propels fecal material: mass movements
Musculature of large intestine
- longitudinal SM: 3 groups
- circular SM - continuous to anus
- internal anal sphincter - a thickening of circular SM
- external anal sphincter - striated muscle, that surrounds internal anal sphincter
- haustra (Haustrations) - not fixed, appear & disappear
lists of sphincters
- UES (pharyngoesophageal)
- LES (gastroesophageal)
- pyloric sphincter (gastroduodenal)
- Ileocecal valve/sphincter
- internal anal sphincter
- external anal sphincter