large intestine physiology Flashcards
what are tenia coli
three longitudinal smooth muscle bands around the large intestine
what are haustra
small pouches generated by sacculation, due mainly to tenia coli shorter length
what is SCFA production - fermentative digestion
non-enzymatic digestion by microbes which produce short-chain (volatile) fatty acids (SCFA or VFA). similar to bovine rumen
what are the 3 VFA
acetate, propionate, butyrate
what do VFA do
ferment hydrolysable nutrients that escape digestion/absorption in SI and indigestible complex molecules that reach LI intact
how much energy do horses obtain from SCFA produced in the ceum
cencum and ventral colon
30%
up to 70% horses energy from LI
what is butyrate
- respiratory fuel for colonic epithelium
- downregulates inflammatory genes
- maintains epithelial homeostasis
what is propionate
used by liver as precursor for gluconeogenesis
what is acetate
used by peripheral tissues and precursor for lipogenesis
small amounts of lactic acid is…
poorly absorbed and not a major nutrient
increased amounts of lactic acid…
intraluminal acidosis and increase in intraluminal osmolality - disease
proteins produced by microorganisms are …
not usable b/c amino acids and proteins are not absorbed from large intestine
nitrogen excretion
- synthesis of microbial protein consumes non-protein nitrogen
- traps nitrogen in the lumen of the LI
what makes up the microbiome
bacteria, protozoa, fungi, archaea, viruses, parasites
high diversity and species richness is associated with
health
LI is a relatively ____ environment compared to the upper GI tract
stable
what does a hay diet produce
a more stable microbiome
clostridia
major SCFA producer
lachnospiraceae and ruminococcaecae
- butyrate - critical for mucosal health and depleted in disease
- turns lactate into acetate and propionate
streptococcus
amylolytic, lactate producer
lactobacillus
lactate producer
what does the ratio of VFA:lactic acid depend on
diet
* grain = more propionic and lactic acid - decreases intraluminal pH
* grain decreases ruminococcus and fibrobacter, clostrodoales, lachnospiraceae
what is toxic to LI microbiota
fat
* high oil, increases proteobacteria
what happens when there is a decrease (<50%) firmicutes
disease (colic)