Lecture 3: Gastrointestinal Motility Flashcards
Name the three things that motility accomplishes
Grinding, mixing, breakdown of fragments and ingested food
Contractile tissue of GIT is composed of:
Smooth muscle
Striated muscle in pharynx, upper 1/3 of esophagus, external anal sphincter
What type of smooth muscle allows for very smooth muscle contractions?
Unitary smooth muscle
Unitary smooth muscles cells are __________ coupled via __________
Electrically; gap junctions
Circular muscle decreases ________ of that segment
Diameter
Longitudinal muscle decreases ________ of that segment
Length
Periodic contractions followed by relaxation
Phasic contractions
What type of contractions maintain a constant level of contraction or tone without regular relaxation?
Tonic contractions
Where do phasic contractions take place?
Esophagus, gastric antrum, SI
Where do tonic contractions take place?
Upper region of stomach, lower esophageal region, ileocecal and internal anal sphincters
T/F: Slow waves always bring membrane potential to threshold
False
T/F: Slow waves are always present
True
T/F: APs are always present
False
What happens when a slow wave causes an AP?
Contraction
What determines direction and velocity of contractions?
Slow waves
What is the frequency of slow waves in the stomach?
3 per minute
What is the frequency of slow waves in the duodenum?
12 per minute
T/F: Frequency of slow waves is not influenced by neural or hormonal input
True
What ion causes the depolarizing phase and maintenance of the plateau of slow waves?
Calcium
What ion is responsible for repolarization of slow waves?
Potassium
Name the 3 phases of swallowing
Oral phase
Pharyngeal phase
Esophageal phase
Oral phase, voluntary or involuntary?
Voluntary at first then becomes involuntary
Name the phase of swallowing:
Tongue forces bolus toward pharynx, lots of receptors, then involuntary swallowing takes over
Oral phase
Name the phase of swallowing:
Involuntary, propel bolus from mouth through pharynx to esophagus in 4 steps
Pharyngeal phase
Name the phase of swallowing:
Controlled by swallowing reflex AND enteric nervous system
Propels bolus through esophagus to stomach
After bolus enters esophagus, swallowing reflex closes sphincter
Esophageal phase
In pharyngeal phase, what pulls up so that food cannot move into nasopharynx?
Soft palate
In pharyngeal phase, what moves to cover the opening to the larynx?
Epiglottis
In pharyngeal phase, when the larynx moves up against the epiglottis, what is covered?
Trachea
In pharyngeal phase, what relaxes so food can pass from pharynx to esophagus?
Upper esophageal sphincter
In pharyngeal phase, what propels the bolus through the sphincter?
Peristaltic wave
What is the esophageal phase controlled by?
Swallowing reflex and enteric nervous system
In the esophageal phase, after the bolus enters the esophagus, what reflex closes the sphincter?
Swallowing
In the esophageal phase, what pushes the bolus down?
Primary peristaltic wave
In the esophageal phase, what happens if the esophagus is still distended (food still in it) after the primary peristaltic wave?
Secondary peristaltic wave
Why is esophageal motility needed?
To propel bolus from pharynx into the stomach
What is the action of the primary peristaltic contraction?
Creates high pressure area behind bolus
What opens as the peristaltic wave and bolus reach it?
Lower esophageal sphincter