Gastrointestinal Physiology (GI) Flashcards
Functions of the Gastrointestinal Tract (GIT)
-Transfers digested organic nutrients, minerals and water from the external environment to the internal environment.
-Digestion
-Absorption
-Excretion
-Host defense
Digestion
Form absorbable molecules from food through GIT motility, pH changes, and biologic detergents and enzymes (enzymes are predominantly produced by the pancreas)
Absorption
Movement of digestive food from the intestine into the blood or the lymphatic system.
Excretion
Non-absorbable components of food (such as fiber), bacteria, intestinal cells, and hydrophobic molecules (drugs), cholesterol and steroids are excreted.
How does the GIT function as a host defense?
- Lumen of the GIT is considered to be outside the body. It is continuous with the exterior of the body.
- The GIT forms a barrier with the outside environment and contains a highly developed immune system. The GIT can can inactivate harmful bacteria or other microorganisms.
What are the components of the GIT
Mouth, pharynx, esophagus, the stomach, the small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, ileum), large intestine
3 Accessory organs of the GIT
pancreas, liver, gallbladder
Describe the structure of the GIT
- GIT is a long muscular tube stretching from the mouth to the anus. Composition is similar from mid-esophagus to anus. The top third of the human esophagus is made of skeletal muscle, while the rest of the GIT is composed of smooth muscle.
- Tube of the intestine
- Lumen- inside of the tube; contains many folds and processes to increase the surface area; circular folds in on itself
The circular fold contains villi which projects into the lumen of the tube, and below the surface is a crypt or an invagination.
Layers of the GIT
- Mucosa
- Submucosa
- Muscularis externa
- Serosa
Mucosa
This is the predominant layer of the GIT
Contains three different subsections:
- Epithelium- very thin layer of cells
- Lamina propria
- Muscularis mucosa- very thin, smooth muscle layer
Muscularis externa
outer muscular layer
Serosal layer
connective tissue layer
Epithelium
- layer of mucosa
- layer of cells that lines all body cavities and surfaces
- epithelial cells are polarized cells: they have basolateral surface and an apical surface.
Apical surface
inserts the inside of the tube or the lumen of the tube
Basolateral surface
closest to the blood surface, facing away from the tube; basal surface and lateral surface.
The polarized epithelial layer has different transport proteins at the _______ surface compared to the _______ surface allowing broken down nutrients to be transported first into the cell and then across the surface to the blood.
apical, basolateral
Transport proteins are confined to the different cell surfaces due to presence of ___________.
tight junctions.
Functions of the epithelial layer (single layers) of Mucosa
- selective uptake of nutrients, electrolytes, and water.
- prevent the passage of harmful substances.
Surface area of epithelial layer is amplified by the presence of ______ and ______.
villi and crypts
Villus (Villi)
contains a single layer of epithelial cells containing microvilli
Crypt
a region which invaginates into the lamina propria
Stem cells
- Stem cells within the crypts divide and produce daughter cells which differentiate into a variety of cells.
- Stem cells divide and migrate up the villus. At the top of the villus, they reach the end of their life and slough off.
In the small intestine, the epithelial cell layer is replaced every ___ days.
As these cells are dividing rapidly, they are affected by anticancer drugs and are killed by the drugs before they can be replaced.
5
Epithelial layer is selective, allowing specific nutrients across the intestinal epithelium and into the body.
2 Pathways that chemicals or molecules can use to get across an epithelial layer:
- Paracellular pathway
- Transcellular pathway
Paracellular pathway
chemicals move between cells across the cell junctions; limited by tight junctions between cells, so only water and small ions can actually diffuse through the tight junctions; not many substances can get through this way in a healthy intestine.
Transcellular pathway
cross the cell and therefore require transport proteins
Lamina propria
layer of the mucosa
- includes everything above the muscle layer
- connective tissue, blood vessels, nerve fibers, and lymphatic vessels, immune and inflammatory cells for immune protection.
Lacteal or lymphatic vessel
Muscularis mucosa
layer of the mucosa
- thin layer of smooth muscle.
- not involved in contraction of the GIT and may function in moving the villi.
Submucosa
- located beneath the mucosa layer.
- contains blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, submucosal nerve plexus (network of nerves), connective tissue
Submucosal nerve plexus
network of nerves
relays information to and away from the mucosa.
Muscularis externa
- Composed of circular muscle, myenteric nerve plexus, longitudinal muscle
Circular muscle
- part of the muscularis externa
- fibers are oriented in a circular pattern and contract and relax to close and open the tube.
Myenteric nerve plexus
myo= muscle
-located below the circular muscle
- regulate the muscle function of the GIT
Longitudinal muscle
lengthens and shortens to control the length of the tube (does not change the diameter)
located below the myenteric plexus
Serosa layer (serosa)
a connective tissue layer that encases the intestine and forms connections with the intestine and the abdominal wall.
Blood supply to the GIT
- GIT blood supply carries away many nutrients as well as other components absorbed from the diet.
- Blood supply transports water-soluble nutrients and other molecules.
Lacteals (lymphatic system; lamina propria in the mucosa layer)
are important for fat absorption
How does food move through the GIT
Food -> digested in the stomach -> absorption and secretion in the small intestine -> processing in the colon -> elimination of feces containing ingested material that cannot be digested and absorbed.
What type of blood enters the GIT
highly oxygenated blood.
This blood then loses oxygen as it perfuses the intestine
Blood doe snot flow directly from GIT back to the heart. Blood is taken to the _____ before returning to the heart.
liver
Blood that perfuses the intestine goes to the liver via the _______ ______.
portal vein
Portal circulation
- circulation that carries the blood from the intestinal tract to the liver.
- blood in the portal circulation is nutrient rich.
important for:
- liver removes harmful substances (liver acts as a filter and has many enzymes)
- processing of nutrients
Other organs in the body are perfused by arterial blood (fully oxygenated) but ______ is an exception.
liver
When you have not been eating, ~____% of the blood in the liver is from an arterial source (ie. fully oxygenated). After eating, this is reduced to ____%
30%, 10%
Hepatic artery
- part of the portal circulation
- contains fully oxygenated blood that perfuses the liver
Hepatic portal vein
- part of the portal circulation
- carries blood to the liver that has already perfused the stomach, pancreas, SI and LI.
These two blood supplies mix, so that the liver is perfused with nutrient-rich blood coming from the GIT organs with a poor oxygen content.
“In Series” versus “In Parallel” Circulation
- Most organs are perfused in parallel within the systemic circulation, but the liver is perfused in series as the liver is perfused predominantly by blood that has already perfused another organ; blood flows from the digestive organs to the liver.
The venous supply is referred to as “in series”
The liver receives _____(more/less) oxygen than most organs but ______(more/less) nutrient-rich blood.
less, more
GI processes include ______ and _______, or the movement of the GI tract.
secretion and motility
GI process are governed by
the volume and composition of what is inside the intestinal tract
Reflexes regulating GI processes are initiated by:
- Distension of the GIT wall by the volume of luminal contents.
- Osmolarity of the contents
- pH of the contents
- The concentrations of the specific digestion contents, such as monosaccharides, fatty acids, peptides and amino acids.
The digestion contents initiate different regulatory pathways
Distention of the wall, osmolarity, pH of the contents and the concentration of specific digestion contents initiates reflexes by acting through various receptors located in the wall of the tract.
What are these receptors?
- Mechanoreceptors- activated by mechanical stimuli (pressure and stretch)
- Osmoreceptors- activated by a change in osmolarity
- Chemoreceptors- activated by specific chemicals
Function of intrinsic neural regulation of GI Processes
To control motility and secretion
What does intrinsic mean?
contained wholly within the organ
Intrinsic neural regulation occurs through
- occurs through nerve plexi located in the GIT wall itself.
Branching networks of intersecting nerves
Nerve plexi
Enteric nervous system
- Intrinsic nerve regulation
- controls the activity of the secretomotor neurons which play a role in secretion and motility
- contained completely within the walls of the GIT
- has large number of neurons: “Brain of the gut”
- Can function independently of the CNS
- critical for involuntary functions (allows us to digest our food without having to think about it)
Two main nerve networks of the enteric nervous system
- Myenteric plexus
- Submucosal plexus
Myenteric plexus
- nerve network of the enteric nervous system
- found between the two muscle layers, the circular muscle and the longitudinal muscle, of the muscularis externa
- responsible for influencing and regulating the smooth muscle
Submucosal plexus
- nerve network of the enteric nervous system
- found in the submucosa
- predominantly influences secretion
Nerves extend from the _______ _______ to the _______ to control secretion.
submucosal plexus, mucosa
Why is communication important between myenteric plexus and submucosal plexus?
Communication occurs between the two layers so that motility and secretion of digestive enzymes work together.
The neural activity in one plexus influences the activity in the other.
Extrinsic Neuronal Regulation of GI Processes
- Extrinsic regulation occurs through the autonomic nervous system (ANS) - parasympathetic and sympathetic
- Nerve fibers from the parasympathetic and sympathetic pathways enter the intestinal tract and synapse with neurons in both plexuses.
- Through the ANS, the CNS can influence motility and secretion.
Examples on how through the ANS, CNS can influence motility and secretion
- smell of food sends signals through your brain to the GIT through the ANS
- different emotional states in the brain (CNS) will influence appetite.
Parasympathetic pathway
- “Rest and digest” response
- stimulates the flow of a large volume of watery saliva
- stimulates peristalsis (muscle contraction)
- stimulates secretion
- stimulates bile release from the liver - important for fat digestion.
Sympathetic pathway
- “Fright, flight, fight” response
- stimulates the small volume of a thick saliva
- inhibits peristalsis
- inhibits secretion within the GI tract
Long reflex
extrinsic pathway
Short reflex
intrinsic pathway
Why does the long and short reflex pathway coordinate?
To modify the motility and secretion of the GIT
what happens after eating a meal?
- Eating a meal activates receptors in GIT wall (mechanoreceptors, osmoreceptors, chemoreceptors).
- Stimulus from the receptors feeds into the nerve plexus and stimulates the smooth muscle to contract or a gland to secrete.
- This causes a response in the GIT (ie. contraction of the muscle which breaks down the food)
What happens next after smell of food when hungry/emotional state?
- Smell of food when hungry/emotional state
- Stimulates the CNS
- Efferent autonomic neurons fire and interact with the same nerve plexus
- Stimulates the smooth muscle to contract or a gland to secrete
- Causes a response in the GIT (ie. contraction of the muscle which breaks down the food)
- Stimulation of CNS causes the same response but response is due to a CNS stimulation
TRUE or FALSE
Responses in the GIT can occur without any input from the CNS
TRUE
Receptors are activated in response to different stimuli causing the release of ________ _________.
chemical messengers
What are the 4 categories of chemical messenger regulation?
- Endocrine
- Neurocrine
- Paracrine
- Autocrine
Endocrine regulation
a hormone secreting gland cell releases a hormone across its basolateral surface into the blood; the hormone enters the blood and travels to its target cells in one or more distant places in the body.
Neurocrine regulation
a nerve cell produces an electrical signal resulting in the release of a neurotransmitter which travels across a synapse and acts on a post-synaptic target cell (either a neuron or an effector cell)
Paracrine regulation
a local cell releases a paracrine substance which diffuses through the interstitial fluid to act on target cells in close proximity to the site of release of the paracrine substance; this would occur across the apical surface of the cell into the lumen of the gland.
Autocrine regulation
a local cell releases a substance which acts on the cell that released it.
Endocrine cells
- produce hormones
- found in the epithelium of the stomach and the small intestine
These cells release hormones which control GI functions.
Hormones released across the opposite surface of the cell into blood vessels in the lamina propria.
Enteroendocrine cells
what are the 3 GI hormones
- Secretin
- Cholecystokinin (CCK)
- Gastrin
Facts about the 3 GI hormones
- they are all peptide hormones
- each hormone participates in a feedback control system
- most of these hormones affect more than one type of target cell
Cholecystokinin (CCK)
- release is stimulated by the presence of fatty acids and amino acids in the small intestine
- released into blood
- stimulates the pancreas to increase digestive enzyme secretion and causes contraction of the gallbladder
What happens due to contraction of gallbladder?
Releases bile acids for fat breakdown
What stops the release of CCK?
Absorption of fats and amino acids
(Negative feedback control system)
Stimulated by the contraction and relaxation of the two muscle layers in the outer portion of the GIT ; causes contents to move along tract.
Intestinal motility
Peristalsis
- the main driving force for food moving through the intestinal tract; propulsion
- circular muscle contracts on the oral side of a bolus of food (longitudinal layer relaxes)
- circular muscle contracted moved toward the anus, propelling the contents of the lumen in that direction, as the ring moves, the circular muscle on the other side of the distended area reflexes (longitudinal muscle contracts), facilitating smooth passage of the bolus.
Segmentation
- important for the mixing of food
- involves contraction and relaxation of intestinal segments with very little net movement of the food towards the large intestine
- mostly occurs in the small intestine
Functions of segmentation
- allows the mixing of the contents of the GIT with digestive enzymes
- slows the transit time to allow for the absorption of nutrients and water
Pacemaker cells
- cells in the GIT that are distributed throughout the smooth muscle cells
- constantly under spontaneous depolarization-repolarization cycles called slow waves
Slow waves
- give the GIT the basic electrical rhythm
- propagated through the circular and longitudinal muscle layers through gap junctions
What happens every time the pacemaker cells undergo spontaneous depolarization-repolarization cycles?
If there is a stimulus, there is the potential for action potential generation and muscle contraction
What happens to the slow waves in the absence of any neural or hormonal input?
the spontaneous slow waves do not result in any contraction
What happens to slow waves when there is stimulation such as excitatory hormone or neurotransmitter?
Further depolarization occurs and the membrane potential is increased enough that threshold is reached and an action potential is generated resulting in muscle contraction.
What happens to slow waves at rest?
At rest, period fluctuations drift up and down due to regular variations in ion flux across the membrane
What happens to slow waves when there is an excitatory input?
the slow waves are depolarized above threshold, and an action potential occurs leading to smooth muscle contraction.
In the basic electrical rhythm, the number of an action potential is proportional to what?
To the force of the contraction
The frequency of the contraction is dictated by the ____________ and the force of contraction is mediated by _______ and _______ input.
basic electrical rhythm
neuronal and hormonal
If you have no action potentials, will you still have depolarization and repolarization?
YEs, you still have this flow of depolarization and repolarization or the slow waves.
Neural and hormonal control of the gastrointestinal system is divisible into 3 phases:
and is classified based on where the stimuli initiates the reflex, or where the stimulus is perceived
- Cephalic (head)
- Gastric (stomach)
- Intestinal
Cephalic phase: head
- this phase is initiated through stimulation of receptors in the head by the sight, smell, taste and chewing of food and the emotional state
- these reflexes are predominantly regulated by parasympathetic fibers that activate neurons in the GIT nerve plexuses
Gastric phase: stomach
- receptor sin the stomach are stimulated by distension, or stretching of the stomach, acidity, amino acids, and peptides
- the responses to these stimuli are mediated by both short and long neural reflexes
Gastrin (hormone) represents the short reflex
Acetylcholine represents the long neural reflex
Intestinal phase: intestine
- receptors in the intestine are stimulated by distension, acidity, osmolarity and digestive products
- the intestinal phase is mediated by short and long neural reflexes and by the hormones secretin, CCK, and GIP, which are all secreted by endocrine cells in the small intestine
Role of Hypothalamus in control of food intake
- important for maintaining homeostasis, command center for neural and endocrine control coordination and for control of behavior
- contains a feeding center in the lateral region
- contains a satiety center in the ventromedial region
Hypothalamus contains a feeding center in the lateral region. What happens when this region is activated?
What happens to animals with lesions in this region?
Activation of this region increases hunger
Animals with lesions in this region become anorectic and lose weight
Hypothalamus contains a satiety center in the ventromedial region. What happens when this region is activated?
What happens to animals with lesions in this region?
Activation of this region makes you feel full
Animals with lesions in this area overeat and become obese
Factors that influence food intake
- Orexigenic factors
- Anorexigenic factors
Orexigenic factors
- increase intake
- Neuropeptide Y and Ghrelin
Neuropeptide Y
neuropeptide in the hypothalamus that stimulates hunger or appetite
Ghrelin
synthesized and released form the endocrine cells in the stomach during fasting; when you start to starve.
- released into the blood and travels to the hypothalamus stimulating the release of neuropeptide Y in the hypothalamus feeding center to try and increase food intake
Anorexigenic factors
- decrease intake or cause a loss of appetite
- Leptin, Insulin, Peptide YY, Melanocortin
Leptin
anorexigenic factor produced by adipose or fat tissue
Insulin
anorexigenic factor produced by the pancreas; stimulates a reduction in food intake
Peptide YY
anorexigenic factor released form the intestine to reduce food intake
Melanocortin
anorexigenic factor released directly form the hypothalamus and acts to reduce intake of food
How does Leptin affect food intake
(steps)
- Take in more energy/ eat more than burned during exercise
- Deposit fat in tissues
- Increased secretion of leptin from the adipose tissue
- Plasma leptin concentrations increase
- Leptin travels to the hypothalamus through the blood altering the activity of the integrating center in the hypothalamus
- Leptin inhibits neuropeptide Y release (neuropeptide stimulates eating)
- Results in a decrease in appetite and reduced energy intake and an increase in the metabolic rate
what happens in lack of leptin?
Lack of leptin results in no appetite regulation, overeating, and obesity
Hypothalamus, which contains a thirst center, is stimulated by:
- Increased plasma osmolarity (most important factor)
- Decreased plasma volume
- A dry mouth and throat stimulates thirst
- Prevention of over-hydration
How does increased plasma osmolarity regulate water intake?
Increased plasma osmolarity stimulates osmoreceptors (sensory receptors in the thirst center of the hypothalamus
Increased osmolarity of the blood stimulates thirst and the release of a hormone called vasopressin or anti-diuretic hormone resulting in conservation of water at the kidney.
How does decreased plasma volume regulate water intake?
- Pathophysiological conditions (large blood loss or diarrhea and vomiting) which cause dehydration and reduce plasma volume
- As significant decrease in blood volume will reduce blood pressure and stimulate arterial baroreceptors which will act to alter sympathetic and parasympathetic outflow to increase arterial pressure towards normal levels
- affect intrarenal baroreceptors within the kidneys
How does a decreased in plasma volume affect intrarenal baroreceptors within the kidney and eventually increase Angiotensin II
- Juxtaglomerular cells located in the walls of the afferent arterioles act as pressure receptors
- When blood pressure in the kidney decreases, baroreceptors in the kidney afferent arteries are stimulated and activate the renin-angiotensin system
- Activation of the renin-angiotensin system produces angiotensin II, which has a direct effect on the hypothalamus to increase thirst; studied in experimental animals, but its occurrence in humans has not been proven
Why does prevention of over-hydration occurs?
Occurs so that a person stops drinking well before water is absorbed by the GIT and has had a chance to affect baroreceptors and osmoreceptors in the body
Mediated by stimulus from the mouth, throat, and the GIT
Most important factor which regulates thirst under physiological conditions
Osmolarity
What are the three main pairs of salivary glands?
Parotid - watery (serous) secretion
Submandibular - serous/mucous secretion
Sublingual - mucous secretion
Saliva is hypotonic, and slightly alkaline. What is it composed of?
- water
- electrolytes- potassium and bicarbonate (gives alkaline nature); poor in sodium and chloride
- digestive enzymes - amylase (breaks down starches into disaccharides and trisaccharides); lipase (breaks down fat into fatty acids)
- glycoproteins, such as mucin
- antimicrobial factors - lysozyme (breaks down the bacterial cell wall) lactoferrin (chelates iron which prevents the multiplication of bacteria as iron is required for bacterial growth)
Mucin mixed water is called
mucus
Functions of saliva
- Moistens and lubricates the food to make it easier to swallow
- Initiates digestion with digestive enzymes (amylase and lipase)
- Dissolves a small amount of food to allow it to diffuse to the taste buds
- Prevents microbial colonization due to the presence of antibacterial factors
- Aids in speech
- Buffers- contains bicarbonate which helps to neutralize acid from food or acid reflux
Structure of a salivary gland or a salivary duct
- salivary glands are made up of many microscopic ducts that branch out from grossly visible ducts
- composed of 3 different cell types: acinar cells, ductal cells, myoepithelial cells
- saliva moves from the acinus to the striated duct; myoepithelial cells contract to constrict the acinus end of the duct and move the components of the saliva towards the striated duct
Acinar cells
secrete the initial saliva
Ductal cells
create the alkaline and hypotonic nature of saliva
Myoepithelial cells
have characteristics of both smooth muscle (can contract) and epithelial cells
Acinar cells have tight junctions. What does this do?
Acinar cells have tight junctions between them which are leaky and allow the passage of water and small ions through them