GI (summary sheets) Flashcards
What is the foregut?
Starts at the mouth and goes to the common bile duct (proximal half of duodenum)
What is the midgut?
Starts at the distal half of the duodenum (common bile duct) and goes to 2/3rds of transverse colon
What is the hindgut?
Starts from 2/3rds of the transverse colon to anal canal
What is the blood supply of the foregut?
Celiac artery
What are the components of the foregut?
- Pharynx
- Oesophagus
- Stomach
- Proximal half of duodenum and the derivative (liver, biliary apparatus and the pancreas)
What is the blood supply of the midgut?
Superior mesenteric artery
What are the components of the midgut?
- Distal half of the duodenum
- Jejunum
- Ileum
- Caecum
- Appendix
- Ascending colon
- Right 2/3rds of the transverse colon
What is the blood supply of the hindgut?
Inferior mesenteric artery
What are the components of the hindgut?
- Left 1/3 of the transverse colon
- Descending colon
- Sigmoid colon
- Rectum
- Anal canal
What is embryonic folding?
During the 4th week of development when the embryo fold and change shape to form a trilaminar disc into a cylinder
Why does embryonic folding happen in two planes?
- Due to differing rates of growth of embryonic structures
- These happen simultaneously
What is the result of embryonic folding in the horizontal plane?
Two lateral body folds
What is the result of embryonic folding in the medial plane?
Formation of the cranial and caudal folds
Which part of the embryo is mainly responsible for the development of the GI tract?
The endoderm
What happens to the endoderm throughout embryonic folding?
The endoderm moves towards the midline and fuses - incorporating the dorsal part of the yolk sac to form the primitive gut tube
What is the primitive gut derived from?
The endoderm and the visceral mesoderm
In terms of GI, what does the endoderm give rise to?
- Epithelial lining of digestive tract
- Hepatocytes of the liver
- Endocrine and exocrine cells of the pancreas
In terms of GI, what does the visceral mesoderm give rise to?
- Muscle, connective tissue and peritoneal components of the wall of the gut
- Connective tissue for the glands
How does the foregut develop embryologically?
- On the cranial end of the embryo
- Temporarily closed by the oropharyngeal membrane
- At the end of the 4th week of development, it ruptures to form the mouth
How does the midgut develop embryologically?
- Remains connective to the yolk sac until the 5th week of development
- As embryonic folding continues, the connection to the yolk sac narrows into a stalk called the vitelline duct
How does the hindgut develop embryologically?
- Lies at the caudal end of the embryo
- Temporarily closed by the cloacal membrane
- Ruptures during 7th week of development to form the anus
Where is the length of the pharyngeal arches?
Extends from the oropharyngeal membrane to the respiratory diverticulum
When do the pharyngeal arches form?
In the 4th & 5th week of foetal life
What are the 5 pharyngeal arches?
1, 2, 3, 4 & 6
What do the pharyngeal arches contribute to?
The external appearance of the embryo
What are the pharyngeal arches formed from?
- Masses of mesenchymal tissue (connective tissue derived from mesoderm) which are invaded by crania neural crest cells
What are each of the pharyngeal arches covered by?
- Externally by endoderm (forming the pharyngeal clefts)
- Internally by ectoderm (forming the pharyngeal pouches)
What does each pharyngeal arch have and what does it give rise to?
- Has a nerve supply, arterial supply and venous supply
- Each gives rise to various structure of the pharynx and larynx
What is the innervation of the 1st pharyngeal arch?
Mandibular nerve (V3 - 3rd branch of trigeminal nerve (CN5))
What is the innervation of the 2nd pharyngeal arch?
Facial nerve (CN7)
What is the innervation of the 3rd pharyngeal arch?
Glossopharyngeal nerve (CN9)
What is the innervation of the 4th pharyngeal arch?
Superior laryngeal nerve of vagus nerve (CN10)
What is the innervation of the 6th pharyngeal arch?
Recurrent laryngeal nerve of vagus nerve (CN10)
Which muscles form from the 1st pharyngeal arch and what are their functions?
- Mastication (function)
- Tensor tympani
- Diagastric
- Myolohyoid
Which muscles form from the 2nd pharyngeal arch and what are their functions?
- Facial expression (function)
- Stapedius
- Stylohyoid
Which muscles form from the 3rd pharyngeal arch?
Stylopharygeus of the pharynx
Which muscles form from the 4th pharyngeal arch?
Cricothyroid
Which muscles form from the 6th pharyngeal arch?
All muscles of the larynx except the cricothyroid
Which bones are formed from the 1st pharyngeal arch?
- Maxilla
- Mandible
- Incus
- Malleus
Which bones are formed from the 2nd pharyngeal arch?
- Stapes
- Styloid
- Lesser horn of hyoid cartilage
Which bones are formed from the 3rd pharyngeal arch?
- Body and greater horn of hyoid cartilage
Which bones are formed from the 4th pharyngeal arch?
- Thyroid cartilage
- Epiglottic cartilage
Which bones are formed from the 6th pharyngeal arch?
- Cricoid cartilage
- Arytenoid cartilages
- Corniculate
- Cuneiform cartilage
Describe the development of the oesophagus
- At 4th week, at end of pharynx and start of oesophagus, at ventral wall of foregut - respiratory diverticulum (lung buds) appear
- The tracheoesophageal septum develops and separates the lung buds from the dorsal part of the foregut
- Foregut is now divided into the ventral respiratory primordial and the dorsal oesophagus
- Oesophagus lengthens rapidly with descent of heart and lungs
What is the function of mesenteries?
Parts of the gut tube are suspended from the dorsal and ventral body walls by it
What are mesenteries?
Double layers or peritoneum that surround an organ and connect it to the body wall.
What is intraperitoneal?
When peritoneum surrounds an organ and connects it to the body wall
What is a retroperitoneal organ?
When an organ is sitting directly on the posterior abdominal wall and covered by peritoneum on its anterior surface only
What are ligaments?
Double layers of peritoneum which pass from one organ to another or from one organ the body wall
What is the function of mesenteries and ligaments?
Provide pathways for blood vessels, lymphatics and nerves to go to and come from the abdominal viscera
What is the embryological formation of the dorsal mesentery?
By the 5th week the lower part of the foregut, midgut and major part of the hindgut are suspended from the posterior abdominal wall by mesentery
Where does the dorsal mesentery extend from?
The lower part of the oesophagus to the cloacal region
Where is the ventral mesentery present?
Only in the region of the foregut - terminal part of the oesophagus, the stomach and the upper part of the duodenum
What mesenteries does the foregut have?
Ventral and dorsal
What mesenteries does the midgut have?
Dorsal
What mesenteries does the hindgut have?
Dorsal
What is the ventral mesentery derived from?
The septum transversum
What does the free lower margin contain?
The hepatic artery, portal vein and bile duct
Where does the liver develops
- In the ventral mesentery
- Divides it into the lesser momentum and the falciform ligament
What is the embryological development of the stomach?
- A spiral dilation in foregut at 4th week
- Developing stomach is attached to body walls by dorsal and ventral mesenteries
- Left & right vagus flank the sides of the stomach respectively
- Dorsal wall grows faster, giving the greater & lesser curvatures of stomach
- During 7th week, stomach rotates 90 degrees clockwise - produces a space behind stomach (lesser sac)
- Greater curvature (embryo. dorsal) faces left & lesser curvature (embryo. ventral) faces right
- In the 8th week, the stomach and duodenum rotate, pulling the end of the stomach upwards, to pull into a C-shape
Where is the left vagus positioned?
The anterior side of the stomach
Where is the right vagus positioned?
The posterior side of the stomach
What is the space posterior to the stomach?
The lesser sac
What is the space anterior to the stomach?
The greater sac
How do the greater and lesser sacs of the stomach communicate?
The epiploic foramen, near the hilium of the liver
How is swallowing initiated?
When pressure receptors in the walls of the pharynx are stimulated by food or drink, forced into the rear of the mouth by the tongue
How many segments does the pharynx have?
3 continuous segments shared between the gastro-intestinal and respiratory tracts
Which nerve innervates the nasopharynx?
Maxillary nerve (V2 - second branch of trigeminal nerve (CN5))
Which nerve innervates the oropharynx?
Glossopharyngeal nerve (CN9)
Which nerve innervates the laryngopharynx?
Vagus nerve (CN10)
What is the purpose of swallowing?
Food leaves the oral cavity and passes through the pharynx on its way to the oesophagus & stomach
What happens in stage I (voluntary) of swallowing?
- Food is compressed against the roof of the mouth and pushed towards the oropharynx by the action of the tongue
- The buccinator and supra hyoid muscles manipulate food during chewing. They also elevate the hyoid bone and flatten the floor of the mouth
What happens in stage II (involuntary) of swallowing?
- Nasopharynx is closed off by soft palate by the palate muscles tensing and elevating it
- Pharynx is shortened and widened (by longitudinal muscles) by elevation of hyoid bones by actions of muscles of the floor of the palate which lower mandible if hyoid is fixed or elevate hyoid bone & larynx is mandible is fixed
- Impulses from swallowing centre inhibit respiration, raise larynx and close glottis - prevents food entering trachea
- Tongue forces food further back into pharynx, food tilts the epiglottis backward to cover closed glottis (prevents aspiration)
What happens in stage III (involuntary) of swallowing?
- Sequential contraction of constrictor muscle followed by depression of hyoid bone and pharynx
- Pharyngeal constrictor muscles contract sequentially from above down to drive food into oesophagus
- Depression of hyoid & pharynx caused by infra hyoid muscle of the neck, fix the hyoid bone enabling opening of mouth. Also depress hyoid bone and larynx
- Luminal pressure in pharynx @ opening of oesophagus = atmospheric pressure
- Upper oesophageal sphincter relaxes
- Peristalsis occurs
- The lower oesophageal sphincter opens and relaxes throughout swallowing
What is the muscular structure of the oesophagus?
- Skeletal muscle in upper 1/3
- Smooth muscle in lower 2/3
What is the structure of the pharyngeal constrictor muscles?
- 3 overlapping
- Form posterior and lateral sides of pharynx
- Innervated by vagus
What is the upper oesophageal sphincter?
Ring of skeletal muscle surrounds oesophagus below pharynx
What is the lower oesophageal sphincter?
A ring of smooth muscle surrounding the oesophagus in the last portion of the oesophagus
What is a gag reflex?
The reflex elevation of the pharynx - often followed by vomiting caused by irritation of the oropharynx (back of tongue)
What causes the gag reflex?
Reflex arc between glossopharyngeal (CN9) and the vagus (CN10) nerves
What are the functions of saliva?
- Lubricant for mastication
- Maintaining oral pH
- Release digestive enzymes
What is the required oral pH and how is this maintained?
- About 7.4
- Achieved by bicarbonate/carbonate buffer system
Where is salivary amylase release from and what for?
- Parotid gland
- Starch digestion
What does serous secretion provide?
Alpha amylase for starch digestion
What does mucous secretion provide?
Mucins for lubrication of mucosal surfaces
What secretion does the parotid gland give?
Serous
What secretion does the submandibular gland give?
Mucous and serous
What secretion does the sublingual glands give?
Mucous and serous - mainly mucous
What secretion go minor glands give?
Predominantly mucous but some are serous
Give 5 factors affecting the composition & amount of saliva produced
- Flow rate
- Sleep cycle
- Type and size of gland
- Duration and type of stimulus
- Usual e.g. diet, age drugs etc.
How does the mucosa act as a defence of the oral cavity?
Physical barrier
How does the salivary glands act as a defence of the oral cavity?
Saliva washes away food particles which bacteria or viruses may use as metabolic support
How does the palatine tonsils act as a defence of the oral cavity?
Acts as the ‘surveillance system’ for the immune system
How do glands act as a defence of the oral cavity?
- Salivary glands surrounded by lymphatic system - has functional immune cells
- Submandibular, sublingual & minor glands are always active
What are the two morphologically and distinct epithelial tissues of the salivary glands?
- Acinar cells
- Ducts
What are acinar cells?
Functional unit of a salivary gland
What are the functions of ducts of the salivary glands?
Collect to form the large cut entering the mouth. equipped with channels and transporters in the apical and basolateral membrane enabling transport of fluid and electrolytes
What are the two types of acini?
Serous and mucous
What is the appearance of serous acini?
- Dark staining nucleus
- Nucleus in basal third
- Small central duct
What does the serous acini secrete?
Water and alpha amylase
Where is serous acini mainly found?
Parotid gland
What is the appearance of mucous acini?
- Pale staining ‘foamy’
- Nucleus at base
- Large central duct
What does the mucous acini secrete?
Mucous (water and glycoproteins)
Where is mucous acini found?
In submandibular & sublingual glands
How are interlobular ducts divided?
Into intercalated and striated
What is the structure of intercalated interlobular ducts?
Short narrow duct segments with cuboidal cells that connect acini to larger striated ducts
What is the structure of striated interlobular ducts?
- Striated like a thick lawn
- Major site for reabsorption of NaCl
- Appear striated at basal end
- Basal membrane is highly folded into microvilli (giving striated appearance) for active transport of bicarbonate against conc. gradient
- Microvilli are filled with mitochondria to facilitate the active transport
What is significant about the excretory ducts of salivary glands?
Not just a plumbing system, they modify the electrolyte composition of the saliva
What do the excretory ducts of salivary glands secrete and reabsorb?
- Secrete potassium and bicarbonate
- Reabsorb sodium and chloride
What do epithelium of ducts of the salivary glands do?
Reabsorb water so final saliva is hypotonic (has less water so have a higher conc. of solutes)
What are the three major pairs of salivary glands?
Parotid, submandibular and sublingual
What percentage of salivary flow do the three major pairs of salivary glands contribute to?
80%
Minor salivary glands contribute what percent of salivary flow?
20%
Where are minor salivary glands found?
In submucosa or the oral mucosa of the lips, cheeks, hard and soft palate and the tongue
What is the structure of the parotid gland?
- Superficial triangular outline between: zygomatic arch, sternocleidomastoid & ramus of mandible
What is the structure of the parotid duct?
- Crosser masseter muscle and pierces through the buccinator muscle where it enters the oral cavity near the second upper molar
What is the innervation of the parotid gland?
- Sympathetic sensory innervation (inhibits secretion) is provided by auriculo-temporal nerve (branch of mandibular nerve - division of trigeminal nerve (CN5))
- Parasympathetic innervation supplied by glossopharyngeal nerve (CN9) - stimulates secretion
What structures pass through the parotid gland?
- External carotid artery
- Retromandibular vein
- Facial nerve (CN7)
What is significant about the parotid capsule?
Is very tough
What is the structure of submandibular glands?
Two lobes separated by mylohyoid muscle - larger superficial lobe and a smaller deep lobe in the floor of the mouth
What is the pathway of the submandibular duct?
Begins in the superficial lobe, wraps around the free posterior border of the mylohyoid, then runs along the floor of the mouth and empties into the oral cavity at the sublingual papillae - located more posterior than the sublingual gland
What is the structure of the submandibular gland?
- Mixed gland with serous and mucous acini
- Some serous acini are arranged in crescent shaped groups of glandular cells at the bases of mucous acini refereed to as serious demilunes
What is the innervation of the submandibular gland?
- Parasympathetic innervation is supplied by the chorda tympani branch of the facial nerve (CN7)
- Sympathetic innervation is supplied via the lingual nerve which is derived from the facial nerve (CN7)
Where are the sublingual glands located?
- More anteriorly than the submandibular glands
- Located in the floor of the mouth between mylohyoid muscles and oral mucosa of floor of mouth
- Very close to submandibular gland
How is saliva transmitted from the sublingual gland?
Via the submandibular duct and/or small ducts that pierce oral mucosa floor of mouth
How big is the sublingual gland?
Much smaller than submandibular - but size is variable
What is the innervation of the sublingual gland?
- Parasympathetic innervation is supplied by the chorda tympani branch of facial nerve (CN7)
- Sympathetic innervation is supplied via the lingual nerve which is derived from the facial nerve (CN7)
Where are the minor salivary glands found?
- Buccal labial, palatal & lingual regions
- Superior pole of tonsils (Weber’s glands)
- Tonsillar pillars & at the base of the tongue (von Ebner’s glands - underlying circumvallate papillae)
Are minor salivary glands mucous or serous?
All mucous except serous glands of von Ebner
What is the duct system of minor salivary glands?
Lack a branching network of draining ducts so each salivary unit has its own simple duct
What is the stimulation patterns of the minor salivary glands?
- Parasympathetic = stimulates salivary secretion
- Sympathetic = inhibits salivary secretion
What are the most common causes of xerostomia (dry mouth)?
Medication and irradiation for head and neck cancers
What causes obstructions of salivary ducts and where is it most common?
- Saliva contains calcium and phosphate ions that can form salivary calculi (stones)
- Most common in submandibular gland - block duct at the bend around the round mylohyoid or at exit of sublingual papillae
What causes infection of salivary ducts?
- Secondary to obstruction
- Mumps
What causes degeneration of salivary ducts?
Complication of radiotherapy to head and neck for cancer treatment