GIT Physiology Flashcards
What type of amylase is the salivary one?
alpha-amylase
Where does pepsin act on its target molecule?
It hydrolyses the bound between a aromatic aa and a second aa
What is emulsifying?
Breaking up fats into droplets
What is vitamin C also known as?
L-Ascorbic acid
What is the function of Gastrin releasing peptide?
Acts in parallel with ACh from vagus to stimulate gastrin release from G cells
What is the effect of the release of secretin stimulated bicarbonate solution from the pancreas?
Neutralised acid and pepsin activity
This leads to reduced stimulation of stomatostatin release from duodenal D cells and stops the vago-vagal and duodenal-pyloric-antral reflexes inhibiting gastric emptying
What type of cells can sense sweet taste?
L cells
What type of cells express olfactory receptors?
EC cells
Why don’t most things taste good without fats?
Most odourants/favour molecules are fat soluble
If tri or dipeptides are absorbed in to the enterocytes what must happen to them?
Cleaves into single aa’s by small peptidases
How many transport systems are there for free aa’s?
7
What is the function of mucus and bicarbonate release in the duodenum?
Create a barrier to gastric acid
What is the result of L cells sensing sweetness?
Increased glucose absorption
To what level are proteins digested before they can be absorbed?
Tri-, Di-peptides and single aa’s
What does colon fermentation produce?
Short chain fatty acids
How is cholesterol esterase activated?
By bile
What is the function of Ghrelin?
It is released from the stomach in fasted state to increase appetite
Which enzyme is important for breaking cell-cell adhesion?
Pepsin
5 of the amino acid absorption systems require what for co-transport?
Na - similar to sodium-dependent glucose transporters (SGLT1)
If you don’t have a stomach what supplement do you require?
Intrinsic factor
Which cell secrete pepsinogen?
Chief cells
Do gastric lipases play a major role in lipid digestion?
No
What does the vagovagal reflex pathway control/regulate?
Swallowing
Acid secretion
Smooth muscle contraction in stomach and duodenum
What is the product of fibre fermentation?
Short chain fatty acids
What neural pathway activates the cephalic phase?
The vagus nerve
What are the basic functions of the GIT?
Digest food
Absorb nutrients
Excrete waste
Prevention of invasion by pathogens
Contain the microbiome
Where are the major sites of digestion?
Duodenum and upper jejunum
What is the last to empty from the stomach? What are the implications?
Fat
Massive increase in CCK release when it come through
Which enzyme digests sucrose? What are the products of its digestion?
Sucrase
Glucose and fructose
Which enzyme activates enzymes from the pancreatic juices?
Enterokinase
What is the name of the enzyme that digests sugars?
Amylase
What does the endocrine control system regulate?
Secretion of enzymes and solvents into the intestinal lumen
Helps regulate appetite
What are two disaccharides human digested commonly?
Lactose and sucrose
What enzymes cleave at the amino end of peptide chains?
Aminopeptidases
What is the major transporter for glucose absorption?
Sodium-dependent glucose transporter - Na provides the energy
Which hormone’s release is stimulated by tastants?
Serotonin (EC cells)
Where is conscious control required in the defecation process?
Relaxation of anal sphincter
Contraction of abdominal muscles
Does the salivary amylase make it through the stomach?
Yes and it is reactivated once the pH returns to neutral
What are micelles composed of?
Bile salts with lecithin and monoglycerides
How are fats absorbed into the epithelium?
Micelles come into contact with lipid membrane and lipids dissolve and enter cells
What do enterochromaffin cell-like cell release?
Histamine
What three factors stimulate gastric acid secretion in parietal cells?
Vagus stimulation via enteric nerves releasing ACh acting on parietal cells
Histamine for enterochromaffin cell-like cell
Gastrin from G cells in the antrum (of stomach) and duodenum (endocrine signalling - must travel through the portal system)
What does cholesterol esterase do?
Hydrolyse cholesterol esters and esters of fat soluble vitamins and phospholipids
What happens to fat in the stomach?
It floats to the top due to action of acid, pepsin and mechanical action
What happens if the lower oesophageal sphincter doesn’t close properly?
Oesophageal reflux
If chronic - can lead to GORD - gastrooesophageal reflux disease