Normal Structure and Function of the Oral Cavity & Upper GI Tract Flashcards
What is the general process by which the gastrointestinal system digests food and absorb nutrients?
- A bolus of food generated by the oral cavity enters the esophagus by swallowing
-
In the stomach,
- food is churned in the presence of digestive juices
- generates a semi-fluid mass of partially digested food called chyme
- Chyme leaves the stomach via the pylorus and enters the duodenum where it encounters pancreatic digestive enzymes and bile from the liver
-
Digestion is completed in the small intestine
- digestive products are absorbed
- Liquid residue enters the large intestine where water is absorbed
- As water is absorbed, the residue becomes solid generating fecal material that is collected in the rectum
How is food is moved down the GI tract by muscular action?
- Initially voluntary muscle action in the oral cavity and upper 1/3rd of the esophagus moves food into the alimentary canal
- Involuntary muscle action (peristalsis) then takes over to propel the food and products of digestion through the remainder of the GI tract
How is the structure of the GI tract generally conserved?
Four tunics define separate functional layers:
- Mucosa
- Submucosa
- Muscularis externa/propia
- Adventitia / Serosa
Describe the layers of the mucosa:
-
Epithelium
- major site of mucosal function, varies in type depending upon function
-
Lamina propria
- loose connective tissue that supports the epithelium
- rich in lymphatic and blood capillaries
- contains lymphocytes and plasma cells
-
Muscularis mucosae
- thin layer of smooth muscle
- required for local movements of the mucosa and folding of the mucosa
How does the mucosal epithelium change based on the organ?
-
Stratified squamous non-keratinizing epithelium lines the esophagus and anal canal
- serves to protect against abrasion
-
Simple columnar epithelium lines the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine
- functions to secrete, to absorb, and to absorb/protect depending upon the organ
- What is the functional role of submucosa?
- What is the role of nervous tissue found here?
- Layer of loose collagenous and adipose tissue that supports the mucosa
- Large blood vessels and lymphatic vessels
- Mucous-secreting glands present in SM of esophagus and duodenum
- Nervous tissue submucosal (Meissner’s) plexus (PG, parasympathetic ganglia)
- Control muscularis mucosae movement, blood flow, and gland secretion
Muscularis Externae:
- Relationship to the submucosae:
- Arrangement of muscle fibers:
- Role of nervous tissue:
- Surrounds the submucosa with a thick layer of smooth muscle
- except in the esophagus and anal sphincter
- also contain skeletal muscle
- except in the esophagus and anal sphincter
- Muscle layers are usually arranged as an inner circular layer an outer longitudinal layer
- responsible for peristalsis
- Nervous tissue:
-
Myenteric (Auerbach’s) plexus resides between the muscle layers
- controls peristalsis
-
Myenteric (Auerbach’s) plexus resides between the muscle layers
What protects the GI tract?
Serosa/Adventitia
- Outermost covering of the GI tract
Serosa/Adventitia:
- Adventitia
-
Serosa
- function of the epithelial component?
-
Adventitia
- loose connective tissue layer surrounding the GI tract located outside of the peritoneal cavity
-
Serosa
- simple squamous epithelium (mesothelium) along with connective tissue covers the GI tract within the peritoneal cavity
- epithelial component secretes serous fluid
- lubricates the interface between the visceral and parietal peritoneum
- allows movement of the GI tract organs
Role of Submucosal (Meissner’s) plexus vs. Myenteric (Auerbach’s) plexus
-
Submucosal (Meissner’s) plexus
- Controls mucosal movement, secretory activity and blood flow
-
Myenteric (Auerbach’s) plexus
- Controls peristaltic gut movements
- How many neurons are found in the enteric nervous system?
- Why is it called the “second brain”?
- What mediates the action of enteric neurons?
- ~ 100 x 106 neurons
- division of the autonomic nervous system but can operate independent of the brain and spinal cord
- hormones secreted by enteroendocrine cells also regulate the ENS
- Enteric neurons mediate their action through the standard repertoire of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators found in the brain including acetylcholine, norepinephrine, and serotonin
- Parasympathetic system stimulates _______ and ________
- Sympathetic system represses _______ and activates activity of ________
- Parasympathetic system stimulates secretion and peristalsis
- Sympathetic system represses peristalsis and activates activity of sphincters
Functions of GI mucosa based on location
- Protective:
- Secretory:
- Absorptive:
- Absorptive/protective:
-
Protective:
- stratified squamous epithelium mainly found in the upper G.I. and anus
-
Secretory:
- found in the stomach
- contains an abundance of tubular glands
-
Absorptive:
- mucosa is folded into villi to maximize surface area
- found throughout the small intestine
-
Absorptive/protective:
- lines the large intestine
- produces mucin to help fecal movement and absorbs water
What is the function of the esophagus?
Muscular tube that propels a bolus of food to the stomach
What can be found in the esophageal mucosa?
-
Epithelium (E):
- stratified nonkeratinized squamous epithelium with Langerhans cells (APCs)
-
Lamina propria:
- narrow with lymphoid aggregates (Ly)
- 2 clusters of mucosal glands that secrete mucous to help propel food = esophageal cardiac glands
-
Muscularis mucosae (MM)
- single layer of smooth muscle cells
- more substantial near stomach
Submucosa of the esophagus:
- What is abundant?
- What are the two cell types?
- What are the major secretory products?
-
Esophageal glands (G) are abundant in the submucosa
- arranged as acini that drain into a central duct similar to salivary glands
-
Two cell types
- mucous cells ⇒ basally located nucleus
- serous cells ⇒ centrally located nucleus
- less abundant
- Major secretory products of serous cells are pepsinogen and lysozyme that are deposited via ducts into the lumen
What are the only two areas of the GI tract that have submucosal glands?
only the esophagus and duodenum contain glands in their submucosal layers
Muscularis Externae of the esophagus
- Arrangement of muscle layers:
- Location of skeletal muscle:
- inner layer of circular smooth muscle (CM) and an outer layer of longitudinal smooth muscle (LM)
-
upper the 1/3rd of the esophagus has skeletal muscle (Sk) interspersed with the smooth muscle
- initial swallowing is under voluntary control
Describe the Adventitia/Serosa of the esophagus:
- Prior to reaching the diaphragm, the esophagus is encased with an adventitia
- Once it traverses the diaphragm, it is covered with a serosa
- What happens at the gastroesophageal junction?
- What are the 2 physiological sphincters of the esophagus?
- Sharp change from a stratified squamous epithelium to a simple columnar epithelium dedicated to secretion at the junction of the esophagus and stomach
- 2 physiological sphincters:
- pharyngoesophageal sphincter prevents reflux from esophagus into the pharynx
- gastroesophageal sphincter prevents reflux from the stomach into the esophagus
- What is the location and function of the stomach?
- How are the mucosa and submucosa arranged in the empty stomach?
- How much volume can the stomach hold?
- What is in the gastric juice?
- The stomach is a dilated sac between the intestine and esophagus where food undergoes mechanical and chemical digestion to form chyme
- Mucosa and submucosa are arranged as prominent folds called rugae in the empty stomach; holds ~ 1.5 liters by distending
- Churning food in gastric juice:
-
hydrochloric acid and** digestive enzymes**
- pepsin, rennin, and gastric lipase
-
hydrochloric acid and** digestive enzymes**
What are the anatomical regions of the stomach?
- cardia - small area at gastroesophageal junction
-
fundus - upper left to cardia
- secrete acid and enzymes
-
body (corpus) - central area
- secrete acid and enzymes
-
pyloris - constricted region at base
- regulates release of chyme into duodenum (pyloric sphincter)
- secretes gastrin
What type of epithelium is present in the stomach?
simple columnar
Mucosa of the stomach
- Epithelium
- **Lamina propria **
- Muscularis mucosae
- **Epithelium: **epithelial cells lining the lumen generate a thick mucous
- traps bicarbonate ions (alkaline)
- protects the mucosa from the low pH in the stomach
- soluble mucous acts as a lubricant
- Invaginates into the lamina propria forming gastric pits (GP)
-
Lamina propria: loose connective tissue layer densely packed with gastric glands
- Enterochromaffin-type cells secrete histamine in response to the vagus nerve to increase acid secretion
-
Muscularis mucosae (MM): smooth muscle
- gastric glands extend to MM influences gastric gland outward flow