Lecture 25: Secretion into GIT Flashcards
What are the two pathways for molecules to move across the epithelial barrier?
Transcellular pathway
▪ Across the cell membranes
▪ Through the cytoplasm
Paracellular pathway
▪ Between cells (often through ‘leaky’ tight junctions)
What is the difference between secretion and absorption in regards to the GIT?
Secretion (exocrine)
▪ Movement of solutes and water from the body to the GIT lumen.
▪ Can occur via the paracellular and/or transcellular pathway
Absorption
▪ Movement of solutes and water from the GIT lumen into the body
▪ Can occur via the paracellular and/or transcellular pathway
What is the difference between endocrine and exocrine secretions?
Endocrine secretions move into the blood (e.g. insulin, anti-diuretic hormone (ADH)
Exocrine secretions are produced by epithelia & move into the lumen
What are the three main secretions in the GIT?
Mucus
▪ Protection and lubrication
▪ Aids mechanical digestion
Electrolyte solutions
▪ Dilutes food & provides optimal pH
▪ Essential for function of digestive enzymes
Digestive enzymes
▪ Essential for chemical digestion of food
▪ Aids absorption
What are the relative proportions of saliva produced by the three salivary glands?
Sublinguinal glands = 5% (only mucus)
Submandibular glands = 70% (mixed)
Parotid glands = 25% (serous fluid w amylase)
What are the digestive enzymes produced in the salivary glands?
▪ Lingual lipase: Chemical digestion of fats
▪ Salivary amylase Chemical digestion of starch
How is salivary secretion regulated?
Regulated by the autonomic nervous system:
▪ Thought, smell, sight of food
▪ Presence of food in mouth
Autonomic Nervous system
▪ Parasympathetic
- Stimulates secretion of copious quantities of fluid
▪ Sympathetic
- Small volumes of viscous fluid
What is the secretion rate and composition of gastric juices between meals?
Slow secretion rate (15-30 mL/hour). Goblet cells secrete mucus and bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻), which protect the stomach lining from acid and abrasion.
How do mucus and bicarbonate protect the stomach lining?
Mucus shields against physical abrasion, while bicarbonate neutralizes stomach acid, protecting the stomach from its own acidity.
What additional gastric secretions occur when eating, and which cells are involved?
Secretion rate increases. Goblet cells continue to secrete mucus and bicarbonate. Parietal cells secrete hydrochloric acid (HCl) and intrinsic factor. Chief cells secrete pepsinogen.
What are the functions of hydrochloric acid (HCl) in digestion and protection?
HCl denatures proteins, activates pepsinogen to pepsin, provides optimal pH for pepsin, and protects the body by killing microbes.
What do intrinsic factor and pepsinogen do in the stomach?
Intrinsic factor (parietal cells) aids in vitamin B12 absorption in the ileum. Chief cells secrete pepsinogen, which converts to pepsin for protein digestion.
How are hydrogen ions (H⁺) produced in the parietal cells of the stomach? (source of H+)
Carbonic anhydrase catalyzes the reaction between CO₂ and H₂O, producing hydrogen ions (H⁺) and bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻).
How are hydrogen ions (H⁺) secreted into the stomach lumen?
The H⁺-K⁺ ATPase pump in the apical membrane of parietal cells exchanges H⁺ for potassium ions (K⁺), pumping H⁺ into the lumen. K⁺ returns to the lumen through a potassium channel.
How is chloride (Cl⁻) imported into parietal cells?
An anion counter-transporter in the basolateral membrane imports Cl⁻ into the parietal cell in exchange for ejecting bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻) into the interstitial fluid.
How is chloride (Cl⁻) secreted into the stomach lumen?
Chloride (Cl⁻) diffuses across the parietal cell and exits into the lumen through a Cl⁻ channel in the apical membrane, where it combines with H⁺ to form HCl.
Describe the cephalic phase of stomach activity:
Prepare the stomach for the arrival of food
▪ Eating or being about to eat
▪ Incoming food
▪ CNS (brain) controls gastric secretion
▪ 20% of gastric secretion
Describe the gastric phase of stomach activity:
Maximise mechanical digestion and begin protein chemical digestion
▪ Food arrives at the stomach
▪ Stomach controls gastric secretion
▪ 70% of gastric secretion
Describe the Intestinal phase of stomach activity:
Slow controlled release of food to small intestine
▪ Chyme (food) is passed from the stomach to the small
intestine
▪ Duodenum (small intestine) controls gastric secretion
▪ 10% of gastric secretion
What stimuli trigger the cephalic phase of stomach activity, and how are they detected?
Stimuli:
- Seeing, smelling, tasting, or thinking about food.
Detection:
Detected by the central nervous system (CNS), which processes sensory information related to food.