PHS 202 Flashcards
Functions of GIT
Ingestion
•Motility: mixing and propulsion
•Secretion
•Digestion
•Absorption
•Excretion
•Immunity
Describe the immunity of the GIT
(i) half of the mass of immune cells in the body are in the GI tract
• (ii) antibody secretion to specific food antigens
•(iii) immunologic defense against pathogenic microorganisms
Describe the organization of the GIT
The alimentary canal: mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum and anal canal.
•Associated glands: salivary glands, pancreas, liver and gall bladder.
What are the layers of the digestive tract wall?
•Mucosa
•Submucosa
•Muscularis externa
•Serosa
Describe the mucosa
- Secretes digestive juices and certain hormones
- absorption of the various nutrients.
- It contains blood capillaries, lymph vessels and a layer of smooth muscle called the muscularis mucosa.
Describe the submucosa
This is a dense connective tissue layer that contains larger blood and lymph vessels as well as a network of neurons called submucous or Meissner’s plexus.
What is Meissner’s plexus?
a neural network located within the submucosa, transmits sensory (afferent) stimuli to the central nervous system through both parasympathetic and sympathetic pathways.
What is the Muscularis externa?
an outer longitudinal layer and inner circular layer of smooth muscle. In between myenteric or Aurbach’s plexus.
What is the Serosa?
an outer fibrous coating
Describe the extrinsic nervous supply to the gut
Extrinsic (autonomic)
•Sympathetic (decreases motor and secretory activity, contraction of sphincters)
•Parasympathetic
(stimulatory)
Describe the intrinsic nervous supply to the gut
Intrinsic
•Submucous or Meissner’s plexus (controls secretory function)
•myenteric or Auerbach’s plexus (controls motor activity)
___________ facilitates the activity of the enteric nervous system
Parasympathetic
___________ inhibits the activity of the enteric nervous system
Sympathetic
Characteristics of longitudinal smooth muscle
★ Contraction:
- Expands the lumen.
- Shortens the segment.
★ innervated by enteric nervous system (ENS), and mainly by Excitatory motor neurons.
★ Ca+2 influx from outside is important in their activity.
Characteristics of circular smooth muscle
★ Contraction:
- Reduces the diameter of the lumen
- Increases the length.
★ innervated by ENS, both excitatory & inhibitory motor neurons.
★ Intracellular release of Ca+2 is more important.
★ Thicker and more powerful
★ More gap junctions
Smooth Muscle classification
Unitary (single-unit)
Multi-unit
Characteristics of Unitary (single-unit) smooth muscle
★ Contracts
- in the absence of neural or
hormonal influence.
- in response to stretch.
★ Examples:
- Stomach & intestine.
★ Cells are electrically coupled via gap junctions.
Characteristics of Multi-unit smooth muscle
★ Does not Contract
- in the absence of neural or
hormonal influence.
- in response to stretch.
★ Examples:
- Esophagus & gall bladder, iris and
constrictor pili.
Types of smooth muscle contraction
Phasic (rhythmical)
Tonic
Characteristics of phasic contractions
Phasic (rhythmical)
Smooth muscle cells contract rhythmically or intermittently.
➢ Periodic contractions followed by relaxation
★ Example: Walls of the GI tract.
- Gastric antrum - Small intestine - Esophagus.