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