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MW1012 Anatomy and Physiology > GI Tract > Flashcards

GI Tract Flashcards

1
Q

What is the purpose of the gut?

A

Break down food, absorb the food through the gut wall into blood/lymph so that energy/nutrients can be used, get rid of waste, absorb water, excrete cholesterol, synthesise vitamins

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2
Q

What does GI stand for?

A

Gastro-intestinal system

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3
Q

What makes up the GI tract?

A

Mouth, oesophagus,stomach, pancreas, small intestine, large intestine, salivary glands, liver (gall bladder), anus

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4
Q

What are the features of the peritoneum?

A

Serous Membrane sac in abdomen, the two layers (parietal and visceral) have serous fluid between them

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5
Q

What is the basic function of the peritoneum?

A

Structure, holds organ, contain developing infections to stop them,

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6
Q

Describe the structure of the GI tract

A

adventitia/peritoneum, longitudinal smooth muscle layer, circular smooth muscle layer, myenteric plexus on circular muscle, submucosa, submucosal plexus on submucosa, mucosa (lumen), epithelium (mucuos membrane)

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7
Q

define plexus

A

network of nerves

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8
Q

describe the function of the peritoneum

A

covers the abdominal organs to provide structure and hold them in place, contain any developing infections to stop the spread, reduces friction so prevents inflammation

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9
Q

how does the peritoneum reduce friction?

A

between the two layers (parietal and visceral) there is serous fluid and that makes them slippery so it stops inflammation

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10
Q

describe the motility of the gut

A

contraction of the muscle layers, peristalsis, segmentation and mass movements

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11
Q

describe peristalsis

A

food moving forward by rhythmic squeezes of muscles, its required for movement

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12
Q

describe segmentation

A

squeezing the churned food and breaking it down so they can absorb the nutrients

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13
Q

describe the broad functions of the mouth

A

mastication (chewing) - physically breaking down the food by tongue and teeth
hard palate made of bone
soft palate made of muscle
initial digestive enzymes released
infection control

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14
Q

describe the broad functions of the pharynx

A

3 sections naso-(nose), oro-(near throat), laryngo-(near oesophagus)
food travels from oral cavity to oesophagus via pharynx

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15
Q

describe the broad function of the oesophagus

A

fast transport of bolus to stomach through thorax

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16
Q

describe the broad function of sphincters

A

upper oesophagul/ pyloric and lower oesophagul/ cardiac , thickened rings of circular muscle, keep GI tract a one way system to prevent backflow.
Upper- stops food being aspirated and upper - stops stomach acid rising up oesophagus

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17
Q

describe the broad structure of the tongue

A

voluntary muscle covered by mucous membrane, stuck to the floor by the frenulum, covered in papillae which contain taste buds

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18
Q

describe the broad function of the tongue

A

needed for deglutition

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19
Q

what is the word for swallowing

A

deglutition

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20
Q

describe the slalivary glands

A

3 main pairs, parotid, submandibular, sub-lingual, saliva contains enzymes

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21
Q

describe the broad function of saliva

A

secrete digestive enzymes (e.g. amylase) to break down complex sugars, oral hygiene: prevent tooth decay, antimicrobial antibodies to prevent infections, lubricate food bolus

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22
Q

describe the broad functions of the stomach

A

produces chyme(bolus + gastric acid), physical breakdown, chemical breakdown, digestion starts, storage

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23
Q

describe how the structure of the stomach aids its function

A

3 muscle layers to help churn food into chyme, mucous membrane thrown into rugae (folds) allowing it to stretch when full
gastric glands release the ingredients of gastric juice

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24
Q

describe the function of gastric juice

A

breaks down proteins, activates enzymes, e.g. pepsinogen to pepsin, disinfects stomach contents

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25
describe chyme (kime)
partially digested, acidic (Hydrochloric), very concentrated
26
describe the broad function of the duodenum
acidic chyme neutralised, water enters through gut walls which dilutes chyme, digestive enzymes enter
27
describe how the structure of the duodenum aids its fucntion
c-shaped to curve around the pancreas, pancreas and liver join gut tube here, start of small intestine
28
describe the broad function of the liver
hepatocytes, produces bile, synthesises proteins like albumin/clotting factors, detoxifies blood, energy storage (glycogen)
29
describe the broad functions of the gall bladder
stores and concentrates bile, contracts when fat is detected in the duodenum and releases bile into the duodenum, connected to liver above and duodenum, below
30
describe the broad functions of bile
contains bile salts, contains bilirubin
31
describe the function of bile salts
helps emulsify fats into smaller droplets makes it possible to absorb cholesterol and fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins
32
describe the broad function of bilirubin
bilirubin is released when red blood cells die, needs to be excreted out of the body or it can lead to jaundice, it gives stool their colour
33
describe the broad function of the pancreas
endocrine function: secretes insulin/glucagon directly into the bloodstream exocrine function: secretes pancreatic juice into ducts/tubes, it contains active enzymes for digestion (amylase/lipase) and inactive enzymes (trypsinogen activates on arrival)
34
describe the broad function of the jejunum and ileum
duodenum, jejunum, ileum secretes alkaline intestinal juice (neutralises gastric juice), final digestion, nutrient absorption (jejunum mainly), water/electrolyte absorption (ileum mainly)
35
describe how the structure of the small intestine aids its function
small circular folds which are the folding of the gut called plicae, has villi, enterocytes have microvilli in order to increase the surface area of the mucous membrane
36
how do villi aid with the function of the small intestine
1 mm long projections, covered by enterocytes which are cells which complete the chemical digestion of proteins, carbs and fats as they contain digestive enzymes, e.g. sucrase, lipase, maltase, peptidase, lactase
37
describe the broad functions of the large intestines
made up of the caecum, colon (ascending, descending, transverse, sigmoid), rectum, anal canal final water and electrolyte absorption, temporary storage, secretes mucus to lubricate food waste moving along
38
describe the broad function of the caecum
where small intestine joins large intestine, wide pouch that acts as a reservoir. once full food moves along the large intestine
39
describe the broad function of the rectum/anus
defaecation, waits for a build up of stool, the stretch alerts us to the need to defaecate, then mass movement occurs
40
describe gut microbiota/microbiome
bacteria/fungi/viruses living in our gut produce some vitamins, prevent bad bacteria from causing disease from reproducing
41
how does gut microbiota/microbiome relate to infants
infants intestines are kind of sterile but quickly gain bacteria as they pass through the mother's birth canal and brush up against the anus being covered in their mum's faecal matter and gain the good bacteria c-section babies have reduced gut bacteria initially
42
define egestion
voiding undigested material as faeces
43
how does the colon work in egestion
unabsorbed materials pass through the colon which absorbs most of the remaining fluid from the material producing semi-solid faeces temporarily stores faeces and then 1-2 times/day its moved into the rectum.
44
how does the anus work in egestion
has two sphincters, internal and external internal is involuntary, faeces is allowed through it to pass from rectum to anus, an urge to defecate arises external is voluntary, so controlled over time
45
describe how carbohydrates are digested from mouth to small intestine
starts in mouth and oesophagus via salivary amylase broken down starch into disaccharides HCl denatures and inhibits salivary amylase, pancreatic amylase breaks down digestable starches into disaccharides and then lactase, maltase and sucrase in enterocytes break them down from disaccharides to monosaccharides
46
describe carbohydrates
long chains of sugars (starch) in rice, potatoes, etc shorter chains of sugars like lactose in milk
47
describe how proteins are digested
stomach HCl activates pepsinogen into pepsin. pepsin: from protein to polypeptides in small intestine: enterkinase in enterocytes activates chymotrypsinogen and trypsinogen from pancreas into chymotrypsin and trypsin they break down polypeptides to di- and tri-peptides peptidases in enterocytes break them down into amino acids
48
describe proteins
long chain of amino acids (polypeptides) for growth and rep
49
how do we stop the enzymes digesting the gut?
proteases are stored as inactive form and activate only in a safe environment activated by gastric juice(HCl) in the stomach: pepsiongen to pepsin chymotrypsinogen and trypsinogen from pancreas activated to chymotrypsin and trypsin by enterokinase in enterocytes
50
describe how fat is digested
fat globules are emulsified by bile salts in bile broken down further by pancreatic lipases into fatty acids and glycerol also by lipases in enterocytes
51
what happens to bile salts and fatty acids after fats have been digested?
the bile salts and the fatty acids form micelles which can be absorbed by the villi of the small intestine
52
describe the role of bile in digestion
breaks up fat into smaller droplets called emulsion
53
describe the role of lipase in digestion
further break down the fat globules into smaller units called fatty acids and glycerol
54
where does absorption occur?
the small intestine, specifically enterocytes from lumen to blood/lymph
55
give examples of absorption
sugar and amino acids absorbed into blood capillaries of villi then travel to liver fats absorbed into lacteals of villi then lymph vessels then travel to venous blood
56
describe the portal venous system
liver accepts blood drained from the GI tract (venous blood) then goes to heart so liver receives both venous and arterial blood which mixes
57
how does the central nervous system controls the gut?
autonomic nervous system (unconscious control) parasympathetic enables sympathetic inhibits
58
how does the endocrine system control the gut?
hormones e.g. gastrin increases gastric acid secretion secretin increases the releases of bicarbonate to neutralise the acid
59
describe the metabolism of carbohydrates
glucose used by liver or stored as glycagon glucose used in aerobic respiration by all cells stored as glycogen by muscles stored as fat by fat depots
60
outline the role of insulin and glucagon in the metabolism of carbs
high BGL: insulin secreted, stimulates uptake of glucose by cells, glycogenesis (formation of glycogen), glycolysis (breakdown of glucose into pyruvate) low BGL: glucagon secreted, stimulates glycogenolysis (breakdown of glycogen into glucose), gluconeogenesis (formation of new glucose from non-carbs e.g. amino acids, glycerol)
61
describe the metabolism of fats
liver turns fatty acids and glycerol into triglycerides tissue cells use fatty acids and glycerol in aerobic respiration to form ATP and heat adipose tissue cells store excess triglycerides, release fatty acids and glycerol when required
62
describe the metabolism of proteins
amino acids pass to tissues, e.g. muscle, skin, mucous membrane carried to liver for deamination or transamination excreted by kidneys as urea or provides energy and transamination (new non-essential amino acids

MW1012 Anatomy and Physiology (25 decks)

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