GI and Liver Physiology Flashcards
Function of GI tract
Provides continual supply of water, electrolytes, vitamins and nutrients
Secrete digestive juices (digests food)
Move food through tract
Circulate blood around tracts to carry away products of digestion
Smashes up food both physically and chemically, so it may be absorbed together with water
How are functions of GI tract controlled?
By local (e.g. food), nervous (enteric) and humoral systems
Upper GI tract contains
Buccal cavity
Oropharynx/ oesophagus
Stomach
Duodenum
Small intestine contains
Duodenum
Jejenum
Ileum
Lower GI tract contains
Caecum
Rectum
Anal canal
Buccal cavity function
Mastication:
Mechanical breakdown of food and mixes with saliva - ‘soft bolus’ of food, lubricated and readily swallowed
Digestion begins here
Oropharynx/ oesophagus function
Conveys food from mouth to stomach - upper sphincter controls entry into oesophagus
Muscular layer of oesophagus performs peristaltic movements to push bolus of food into stomach
Stomach function
Elastic bag that holds masticated food, adds gastric acid and digestive enzymes
Releases proteases and HCl, former begins smashing up proteins, latter is bactericidal
Churns its contents through peristalsis producing in 40-60 mins
Releases chyme, in small quantities, into duodenum
Duodenum function
1st portion of small intestine
Bulk of digestion
Digestive enzymes and intestinal juice secreted
Enzymatic breakdown of chyme
Regulates control of stomach emptying via hormones-secretin and cholecystokinin
Caecum function
Ileum pushes chyme into it through eleo-caecal valve
Absorbs fluids and salts remaining after intestinal digestion
Mixes with mucous
Rectum function
Electrolytes/ water absorbed
Faeces thickened and mucous added
Strectching of rectal walls stimulates stretch receptors and causes desire to defecate
Voluntary retention of faeces pushes it back into colon where more water extracted, making it harder (may lead to constipation)
Anal canal function
Continence organ
Regulates defecation
Lubricates and transmits faeces from rectum to outside world
Muscles of mastication
Masseter
Temporalis
Pterygoids
-innervated by V3 of trigeminal (CNV)
Saliva contains what to help digest
Alpha-amylase which begins breaking down starches in bolus
Some people have more than others
Oesophagus
Conduit between oropharynx and stomach
Fibromuscular tube about 20-25cm long
Passes posterior to trachea and heart, pierces diaphragm and enters fundus of stomach
Consists of layers of muscles, mucosa, submucosa and connective tissue
Stomach
Bag-like, dilated section of GI tract which can hold about 1L of food
Lies in upper left of abdominal cavity, against the diaphragm
Duodenum
25-38cm C-shaped structure lying adjacent to stomach
Four distinct sections, each with its own distinct function
Jejenum function
Much absorption occurs here
Inner surface consists of finger-like villi projections which > SA of jejenum allowing for > absorption of nutrients
pH > 7
Villi epithelium is ‘brush border’ made up of microvilli
Nutrient transport across epithelial cells is passive for sugar fructose but active for a.as, small peptides, vitamins, and most glucose
Ileum function
Absorbs vitamin B12, bile salts and products of digestion not absorbed by jejenum
Ileum and jejenum differences
Diameter of lumen of ileum smaller and has thinner walls
Ileum has more fat inside the mesentery
Abundant Peyer’s patches in ileum, encapsulated lymphoid nodules that contain large numbers cells of immune system (develops antibodies to different substances e.g. nut allergies in West)
Ileum absorbs vitamin B12, bile salts and products of digestion not absorbed by jejenum
Functions of the large intestine (colon)
Absorb remaining water and electrolytes from indigestible food matter
Accept and stores food remains that were not digested in small intestine
Eliminate solid waste (faeces) from body
Caecum
Pouch-like structure that is considered to be the beginning of the large intestine
Larger in herbivorous animals where cellulose-digesting bacteria are housed
Smaller or even absent in carnivorous animals and replaced by appendix
Rectum
Temporary store for faeces
Final part of large intestine connecting to anus
Approximately follows shape of sacrum
End expands into rectal ampulla where faeces if stored before defication
Why do we chew?
Fruit and veg which have indigestible walls around nutritious bits
Enzymes work on surface of food particles to smaller particles -> larger SA: volume ratio
Finer particles of food prevent excoriation of GI tract and > ease food emptied from stomach
Chewing reflex
Presence of bolus in mouth initiates reflex inhibition of MoM - mandible drops –>
This initiates stretch reflex of muscles of mastication that leads to rebound contraction and elevation of mandible and closure of teeth –>
This compresses bolus against lining of mouth which inhibits MoM once again allowing mandible to drop and rebound another time
How much force do we exert when we chew?
24kg on incisors
90kg on molars
Oesophagus
20cm long, muscular tube lined with mucosa
Upper 1/3: skeletal muscle
Lower 2/3: smooth muscle
Runs posterior to trachea, heart and lungs anterior to vertebrae and pierces diaphragm before entering stomach
Peristaltic waves of skeletal muscle controlled skeletal nerve impulses from CNIX and CNX
Smooth muscle controlled by CN X
Primary peristalsis
Continuation of peristaltic wave that commences in oropharynx and spreads to oesophagus
Pharynx to stomach: 8-10s
Gravity assist - 5-8s
Secondary peristalsis
Sweeps down any remaining food
Trigger is distension of oesophagus
Barrett’s Oesophagus
Metaplasia (abnormal change) of cells lining the lower oesophagus
Exposure to stomach acid in reflux oesophagitis
Normal SS epithelium replaced by simple columnar epithelium with goblet cells (lower GIT cells)
Strong association with oesopohageal adenocarcinoma - virulent form of cancer
-85% mortality rate
-premalignant condition
Barrett’s oesophagus symptoms
None in themselves but associated with acid reflux
- heartburn
- dysphagia
- haemtemesis
- sub-sternal pain
- erosion of teeth due to acid exposure
Barrett’s oesophagus management
Proton pump inhibitor
Endoscopic surveillance
Resection of oesophagus
Stomach
‘J-shaped’, muscular, elastic pouch which churns and partly digests masticated food
Stomach volume
1L but can relax and expand to hold greater volume
Where does food enter stomach
Food enters stomach and forms concentric circles in orad portion of stomach
-old food by wall, newest food in opening of oeophagus
Learn parts of stomach from lecture
Learn parts of stomach from lecture