Module 3: Digestive System Flashcards
What is the gastrointestinal tract?
Series of hollow organs
What organs comprise the gastrointestinal tract?
Mouth/oral cavity, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, anus
What are accessory organs of the digestive system?
Organs that produce secretions, detoxify, and store substances to aid digestion
What accessory organs comprise the digestive system?
Salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, pancreas
Main role of digestive system?
Converts food into its simplest components, which are then absorbed into the bloodstream or excreted as waste
Five functions of digestive system?
- Ingestion
- Mechanical digestion
- Chemical digestion
- Absorption
- Elimination of waste
Two functional divisions of digestive system organs?
Upper gastrointestinal tract and lower gastrointestinal tract
Role of upper gastrointestinal tract?
Food breakdown
Role of lower gastrointestinal tract?
Absorption, waste compaction and removal
What organs comprise the upper gastrointestinal tract?
Mouth/oral cavity, esophagus, stomach, small intestine (duodenum)
What organs comprise the lower gastrointestinal tract?
Small intestine (jejunum and ileum), large intestine, rectum, anus
Role of mouth/oral cavity
- Mechanical digestion (mastication)
- Mixing of food with saliva; salivary enzymes commence chemical digestion
What is mechanical digestion?
Crushing/shearing of ingested food
What is mastication?
Chewing, by means of movement of the jaw/tongue and grinding by teeth
What is chemical digestion?
Enzymatic breakdown of food into substances that may be absorbed
What is the esophagus?
Collapsed tubular fibromuscular organ connecting the pharynx to the stomach; runs posteriorly to trachea
Role of esophagus?
Transfers food (bolus) into stomach
What is bolus?
Rounded mass of masticated food mixed with saliva
Role of stomach?
- Chemical digestion: bolus is mixed with gastric juices (hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes) and converted into chyme
- Mechanical churning also facilitates digestion
What is chyme?
Semi-fluid, pulpy, acidic mass of partially digested food mixed with gastric juices, expelled by stomach
Three components of small intestine?
Duodenum, jejunum, and ileum
(DJI)
Length of jejunum + ileum?
3-6m of small intestine
Length of large intestine?
Approximately 1.5m
Role of large intestine?
- Chemical digestion of components not digested by small intestine
- Reabsorption of water
- Compacts waste (faeces) for elimination
Three main components of large intestine?
Cecum, colon, and rectum
Four components of colon?
Ascending colon
Transverse colon
Descending colon
Sigmoid colon
What is the cecum (structure)?
Expanded pouch that begins the large intestine that has an attached appendix
Role of rectum?
Store faeces prior to defecation
Role of salivary glands?
Secrete salivary amylase
Role of pancreas?
Secrete pancreatic enzymes and buffers, to break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates
Roles of liver? (3)
Secretes bile, inactivates toxins, and stores iron/glucose/fat-soluble vitamins
Role of bile?
Emulsifies fats into fatty acids; lipid absorption and digestion
Role of gallbladder?
Stores bile
What are the four general major layers of the GIT?
Mucosa
Submucosa
Muscularis externa
Serosa/adventitia
What is the mucosa?
Innermost layer of GIT
Is the mucosa epithelium comprised of a single type? Why/why not
No; epithelial composition depends of function
Epithelium of mouth/esophagus mucosa?
Stratified squamous; protection
Epithelium of stomach/small intestine/large intestine mucosa (cecum and colon)?
- Simple columnar; absorption
- In small intestine, contains microvilli to increase SA for nutrient absorption
Epithelium of rectum/anus mucosa?
Stratified squamous; protection
Characteristic of epithelium of mucosa of GIT?
Contains specialised goblet cells that secrete mucus, keeping the epithelium moist, defending against pathogens/injury
What is the mucosa comprised of? (3)
- Epithelial mucous membrane
- Loose connective tissue (lamina propria)
- Muscularis (muscularis mucosa)
Why is the CT of the mucosa loose?
So nutrients may travel through easily
Characteristics of lamina propria?
- Richly vascularised
- Contain numerous immunologically competent cells (e.g. fibroblasts, macrophages, gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT))
- Has sensory nerve endings
What is the muscularis mucosa?
Thin layer of smooth muscle cells
Role of muscularis mucosa?
Still under debate, but believed to alter the shape of lumen and move mucosal folds/villi
What is the submucosa?
Second-innermost layer of GIT
What is the submucosa comprised of?
Dense irregular CT, which is still relatively loose
Role of submucosa?
Provides physical support to mucosa, supplies blood/lymph vessels and nerves to GIT, and connects mucosa to underlying muscularis
What vessels does the submucosa contain?
Large blood vessels and lymphatic vessel
What are the submucosal glands?
Exocrine glands that secrete enzymes and buffers into lumen via ducts
What is the submucosal plexus (Meissner’s plexus)?
Local circuitry of sensory neurons and autonomic nerve fibres that innervate glands
Roles of submucosal plexus?
Controls glandular secretions, alters electrolyte and water transport, regulates blood flow
What is the muscularis externa?
Third-innermost layer of GIT
What is the muscularis externa comprised of?
Multiple muscle layers (organised in circular and longitudinal layers) + myenteric plexus (Auerbach plexus)
Is the composition of the muscle layers in the muscularis externa consistent? Why/why not?
No; depends on location within GIT
What type of muscle is the muscularis externa of esophagus?
- 2 layers of muscle
- Skeletal muscle and smooth muscle
What type of muscle is the muscularis externa of stomach?
- 3 layers (inner oblique, middle circular, outer longitudinal)
- Smooth muscle
What type of muscle is the muscularis externa of small intestine/large intestine/rectum?
- 2 layers (inner circular, outer longitudinal)
- Smooth muscle
Role of muscularis externa?
Contraction of muscle layers facilitate mechanical processing and movement of materials along GIT
What is the myenteric plexus (Auerbach plexus)? Location?
Network of sensory neurons and autonomic nerve fibres, located between circular and longitudinal muscle layers
Role of myenteric plexus (Auerbach plexus)?
Coordinates digestive muscle activity and thus motility
What is muscle tone?
Amount of tension (or resistance to movement) in muscles
How does the myenteric plexus carry out its function differently according to the type of neural stimulation?
- Parasympathetic stimulation = increased muscle tone
- Sympathetic stimulation = decreased muscle tone
What is the serosa/adventitia?
Outermost layer of GIT; either serosa or adventitia depending on region
Where is the serosa found?
Intraperitoneal (within peritoneal cavity) regions of GIT (i.e. most of stomach, parts of small/large intestine, and rectum)
Where is the adventitia found?
Retroperitoneal (behind peritoneal cavity) regions of GIT (i.e. oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, parts of stomach, most of small/large intestine, and anus)
What is the serosa (composition and function)?
- Loose CT, covered with mesothelium to lubricate outer surface of GIT and thus lower friction
- Lubricates structures
What is the adventitia (composition and function)?
- Dense network of collagen fibres
- Binds/attaches structures
Role of mucosa?
Protects, secretes mucus, and mediates chemical digestion and absorption
What is the oral cavity lined by?
Oral mucosa, which is stratified squamous epithelium
Structures of oral cavity? (7)
Hard palate, soft palate, tongue, teeth, gingiva (gums), uvula, tonsils
Role of hard palate?
Bony support to oral cavity structure
What and where is soft palate?
Muscular structure, posterior to hard palate
What muscle is the tongue?
Skeletal muscle
Role of uvula?
Prevents food from entering pharynx prematurely, prior to effective mastication
What are the tonsils comprised of?
Lymphoid tissue
Functions of oral cavity?
- Mastication, formation of bolus
- Salivary amylase digests carbohydrates
- Lingual lipase digests lipids (triglycerides)
3 major pairs of salivary glands?
Sublingual
Submandibular
Parotid
Location of sublingual salivary glands?
Lie on either side of tongue
Location of submandibular salivary glands?
Lie of inner surface of mandible (jaw)
Location of parotid salivary glands?
Lie just in front of ears
Role of sublingual salivary glands?
Produce mucous secretion that acts as buffer/lubricant, as well as approximately 5% of saliva entering oral cavity
Role of submandibular salivary glands?
Produce mixed serous/mucous secretion containing buffers, mucin, and salivary amylase, as well as approximately 75% of saliva entering oral cavity; secretions released under tongue
Role of parotid salivary glands?
Produce serous secretion containing abundant salivary amylase, as well as approximately 20% of saliva entering oral cavity
What are mumps?
Viral infection of parotid glands
How much saliva is produced daily?
1-1.5L
Composition of saliva?
99.4% water, and 0.6% electrolytes/buffers/antibodies/enzymes/salivary mucin
Functions of saliva? (4)
Lubrication, chemical digestion, protection, dissolving food (taste)
Length/width of esophagus?
25cm long, 2cm in diameter
Two sphincters of esophagus?
Upper esophageal sphincter and lower esophageal sphincter
Role of upper esophageal sphincter (UES)?
Prevents air entering GIT, and prevents reflux of food into airways
Role of lower esophageal sphincter (LES)?
Prevents reflux of stomach contents
Function of esophagus?
Conveys food/liquids from oral cavity into stomach, w/o absorption
Three phases of swallowing (deglutition)?
- Buccal phase
- Pharyngeal phase
- Esophageal phase
What is the buccal phase?
- Voluntary
- Contraction of tongue to push bolus up against soft palate into oropharynx
What is the pharyngeal phase?
- Mainly voluntary
- Tongue blocks oral cavity, epiglottis blocks larynx/trachea, UES relaxes and opens, food enters esophagus
What is the esophageal phase?
- Mainly involuntary
- UES contracts and closes, bolus forced through esophagus by peristalsis, LES relaxes and opens, food enters stomach and once it has, LES closes
What is the stomach and its role?
Expandable muscular organ that churns food into chyme
Four main regions of stomach?
Fundus
Cardia
Body
Pylorus
Where is the fundus?
Superior to gastroesophageal junction
Where is the cardia?
Within approximately 3cm of gastroesophageal junction
Role of cardia?
Entry point for foods/liquid into stomach, with an esophageal sphincter preventing reflux of stomach contents, and abundant mucus glands to protect from acid
Where is body of stomach?
Largest region; lies between fundus and pylorus
Role of body of stomach?
Facilitates/houses churning of ingested food
Where is the pylorus?
J-shaped curve leading to small intestine
Two subdivisions of pylorus?
Pyloric antrum
Pyloric canal
Role of pyloric sphincter?
Regulates process of chyme moving into small intestine
What are rugae?
Prominent folds/ridges of the mucosa and submucosa layers of the stomach wall, that form when stomach is empty
Role of rugae?
Facilitate expandable nature of stomach; increase SA of organ, as when stomach fills with food, rugae flatten out
Characteristic feature of mucosal layer of stomach?
Forms a series of gastric pits, each housing a number of gastric glands
What are gastric glands?
Mostly exocrine glands that open into the stomach through gastric pits in the mucosa
Role of gastric glands?
Secrete most of the acid and enzymes necessary for chemical digestion in stomach (1.5L/day) by means of specialised cells
Four types of cells of gastric glands?
Goblet cells
Parietal cells
G cells
Chief cells
Role of goblet cells?
Secrete mucus, which protects mucosal wall from acid
Role of parietal cells?
Secretes intrinsic factor which is needed for Vitamin B12 absorption by the small intestine, and HCl with kills microbes and denatures proteins
Role of G cells (enteroendocrine cells)?
Produce hormones, such as gastrin which increases stomach motility, stimulates HCl/enzyme production, and relaxes pyloric sphincter
Role of chief cells?
- Secrete pepsinogen (inactive), which is converted to pepsin (active) by HCl, which degrades proteins
- Secrete gastric lipase, which breaks down lipids
Length of small intestine?
3-5m
Length of duodenum?
First 20-25cm of small intestine
Length of jejunum?
1-2m
Length of ileum?
Longest segment of small intestine; 2-3m
Role of duodenum?
Receives chyme from the stomach, and digestive secretions from the
pancreas and liver; considered “mixing bowl” of small intestine
Structure of beginning of jejunum?
Marked by sharp bend at beginning
Role of jejunum?
Where majority of chemical digestion and nutrient absorption occurs
Role of ileum?
Absorption of Vitamin B12, fats (esp fatty acids and glycerol) and bile salts occurs