Physiology Flashcards
What is the function of the mouth and oropharynx?
chops and lubricates food, starts carbohydrate digestion, propels food to oesophagus.
What is the function of the oesophagus?
propels food to the stomach.
What is the function of the stomach?
stores/churns foods continues carbohydrate digestion, starts protein digestion, regulates delivery of chyme to duodenum.
What is the function of the small intestine?
principle site of digestion and absorption of nutrients.
What is the small intestine made of?
duodenum, jejunum and ileum
What is the function of the large intestine?
colon reabsorbs fluid and electrolytes, stores faecal matter before delivery to rectum
what is the large intestine made of?
caecum, appendix and colon
What is the function of the rectum and anus?
regulated expulsion of faeces
What are the four major functions of the alimentary canal?
- Motility (movement)
- secretion
- digestion
- absorption
What type of muscle is mostly involved in motility?
smooth muscle
where would skeletal muscle be found which assists motility?
mouth, pharynx, upper oesophagus and external anal sphincter
what is secretion of the alimentary canal required for?
digestion, protection and lubrication
what chemical process are foods digested by?
enzymatic hydrolysis
what happens during circular muscle contraction?
lumen becomes narrower and longer
what happens during longitudinal muscle contraction?
intestine becomes shorter and fatter
what happens during muscularis mucosae contraction?
change in absorption and secretory area of mucosa, mixing activity.
what are adjacent smooth muscle cells coupled by?
gap junctions, electrical currents flow from cell to cell.
what is a synchronous wave?
hundreds of cells are depolarised and contract at the same time as a single unit smooth muscle.
what is spontaneous activity across the coupled cells driven by?
specialised pacemaker cells and modulated by intrinsic and extrinsic nerves and hormones.
what does slow wave electrical activity determine?
frequency, direction and velocity of rhythmic contractions
what is slow wave electrical activity driven by?
interstitial cells of cajal (ICCs) - pacemaker cells located between circular and longitudinal muscle layers.
where do ICCs sometimes form bridges?
between nerve endings and smooth muscle cells
when does contraction of the intestines occur?
when the slow wave amplitude is sufficient to reach a threshold to trigger smooth muscle cell calcium action potentials.
what factors affect whether slow wave amplitude threshold is reached?
neuronal stimuli
hormonal stimuli
mechanical stimuli
what excitatory influences are due to parasympathetic stimulation?
- increased gastric, pancreatic and small intestinal secretion
- blood flow and smooth muscle contraction
what inhibitory influences are due to parasympathetic stimulation?
relaxation of some sphincters, receptive relaxation of stomach
what is the parasympathetic nerve supply?
preganglionic fibres (releasing Ach.) synapse with ganglion cells within the enteric nervous system (ENS)
where is the symapthetic innervation?
preganglionic fibres (reelasinf ACh) synapse in the prevenertebral ganglia.
what excitatory influences are due to sympathetic stimulation?
increased spincher tone
what inhibitory influences are due to sympathetic stimulation?
decreased motility secretion and blood flow
what is peristalsis?
a wave of relaxation, followed by contraction, that normally proceeds a short distance along the gut in an aboral direction triggered by distension of the gut wall.
what is segmentation?
rhythmic contractions of the circular muscle that mix and divide luminal contents.
where does segmentation occur?
in the small intestine (in the fed state)
what is segmentation called in the large intestine?
haustration
what is colonic mass movement?
powerful sweeping contraction that forces faeces into the rectum - occurs a few times a day
what is migrating motor complex (MMC)?
powerful sweeping contraction from stomach to terminal ileum
How many sphincters are there in the GI tract?
6 excluding the sphincter of Oddi
what are sphincters?
act as one way valves by maintaining a positive resting pressure relative to two adjacent structures
what does the upper oesophageal sphincter do?
relaxes to allow swallowing, closes during inspiration
what is the upper oesophageal sphincter made of?
skeletal muscle
what does the lower oesophageal sphincter do?
relaxes to permit entry of food to stomach, closes to prevent reflux of gastric contents to the oesophagus
what does the pyloric sphincter do?
regulates gastric emptying, usually prevents duodenal gastric reflux
what does the iloecaecal valve do?
regulates flow from ileum to caecum
what are the internal and external anal sphincters regulated by?
defaecation reflex
what does the myenteric plexus do?
mainly regulates motility and sphincters
what does the submucous plexus do?
mainly modulates epithelia and blood vessels
what is an example of the local reflex?
peristalsis
what is an example of short reflex?
intestino-intestinal inhibitory reflex
what is an example of long reflex?
gastroileal reflex
what is energy homeostasis?
physiological process whereby energy intake is matched to energy expenditure over time
what are some consequences of metabolic stress?
metabolic syndrome central obesity dyslipidemia insulin resistance type 2 diabetes cardiovascular disease
how do you calculate body mass index?
weight (kg) / square of . height (m)
what does the brain do when you try to lose weight?
brain views extra weight sd normal and dieting may be a threat to body survival e.e defends new weight
how does the CNS influence energy balance and body weight?
behaviour - feeding and physical activity
ANS activity - regulates energy expenditure
neuroendocrine system - secretion of hormones
what is the site of integration?
brain
which part of the brain is responsible for energy homeostasis
hypothalamus
which part of the hypothalamus causes obesity?
lesioning ventromedial hypothalamus
which part of the hypothalamus causes leanness?
lesioning lateral hypothalamus
what basic concepts underlie control of energy intake and body weight?
- satiety signalling
- adiposity negative feedback signalling
- food reward
which hormone is the hunger hormone?
Ghrelin
which two hormones report fat status to brain?
leptin and insulin
what molecules are responsible for digestion?
pepsin and HCL
what molecule is responsible for carbohydrate digestion in the stomach?
salivary amylase
what does food mixed with gastric secretions produce?
semi-liquid chyme
what are the two mechanical regions of the stomach?
orad and caudad stomach
what is the relaxation of the orad region of the stomach driven by?
vagas nerve
what does orad region not have that the caudad region does?
no slow wave activity
why are tonic contractions in the orad region weak?
due to thin musculature
how are contents propelled to the claudad region?
by low amplitude tonic contractions of about 1 minute duration - stomach size decreases after
what does gastrin do?
decrease contractions and hence the rate of stomach emptying
how many slow waves are produced by the caudad region of the stomach?
3 waves per minute
do contractions occur from every slow wave in the caudad region in the stomach?
no, only contract when threshold is reached
what are phasic peristalic contractions driven by?
suprathreshold slow waves
what do the phasic peristalic contractions do?
progress from midstomach to gastroduodenal junction propelling contents towards pylorus through which a very small volume of chyme flows into the duodenum
what is retropulsion?
velocity of contraction increases towards junction, overtaking the movement of chyme that rebounds against constricted distal antrum back into the relaxed body of the stomach
what does retropulsion do?
mixes gastric contents reducing chyme to small particles that pass through the pylorus
what determines the escape of chyme through the pyloric sphincter?
strength of antral wave
what factors effect how much chyme escapes the stomach?
gastric factors and duodenal factors
why does distension increase motility in the stomach?
stretch of smooth muscle, stimulation of intrinsic nerve plexuses, increased vagus nerve activity and gastrin release
what gastric factors are there that affect chyme rate?
rate of emptying proportional to volume of chyme in stomach and consistency of chyme
what neuronal response delays stomach emptying?
the enterogastric reflex - decreases antral activity by signals from intrinsic nerve plexuses and the ANS
what hormonal response delays stomach emptying?
release of enterogastrones e.g. cholecystokinin CCK from dueodenum inhibits stomach contraction
what stimuli within the duodenum drive the neuronal and hormone responses?
- fat
- acid
- hypertonicity
- distension
why does fat delay gastric emptying?
required for digestion and absorption in small intestine
why does acid delay gastric emptying?
time is required for neutralisation of gastric acid by bicarbonate secreted from the pancreas - important for optimal pancreatic digestive enzyme function
why does hypertonicity delay gastric emptying?
products of carbohydrate and protein digestion are osmotically active and draw water into the small intestine - danger of reduced plasma volume and circulatory disturbances (e.g. dumping syndrome)
what are the two secretion regions of the stomach?
oxyntic gland area and pylorlic gland area
what is the gastric mucosa composed of?
surface lining the stomach, pits, invaginations of the surface, glands, at the base of the pits responsible for several secretions
what is the function of HCL?
- activates pepsinogen to pepsin
- denatures protein
- kills most micro-organisms ingested with food
what is the function of pepsinogen?
- inactive precursor of the peptidase, pepsin.
what is the function of intrinsic factor and gastroferrin?
binds vitamin B12 and Fe2+ respectively, facilitating subsequent absorption
what is the function of histamine?
stimulates HCL secretion
what is the function of mucus in the stomach?
protective
what is the function of gastrin?
stimulates HCL secretion
what is the function of somatostatin?
inhibits HCL secretion
what is a secretagogue?
an agent that causes secretion
what are the three important secretagogue that induce acid secretion from the parietal cells?
acetylcholine (ACh)
gastrin
histamine
how do the secretagogue work in the direct pathway?
ACh, gastrin and histamine stimulate the parietal cell, triggering the secretion of H+ into the lumen
how do the secretagogue work in the indirect pathway?
ACh and gastrin also stimulate ECL cell, resulting in secretion of histamine. the histamine then acts on parietal cells
which molecules are responsible for sending satiation signals?
- cholecystkinin (CKK)
- Peptide YY
- glucagon-like peptide 1
- oxyntomodulin (OXM)
- obestatin
where is gherlin produced?
oxyntic cells in the stomach
what are the functions of leptin?
- food intake/energy expenditure/fat deposition
- peripheral glucose homeostasis
- maintenance of immune system
- maintenance of reproductive system
- angiogenesis
- tumourigenesis
- bone formation
During the resting state of the parietal cell where is H+/K+ATPase?
within the cytoplasmic tubulovesicles
where is H+/K+ATPase during the stimulated phase of the parietal cell?
traffics to the apical membrane taking residence in extended microvilli
what are the three phases of gastric acid secretion?
- cephalic phase
- gastric phase
- intestinal phase
when does the cephalic phase of gastric acid secretion happen?
when the stomach is preparing to receive food
what is the cephalic phase driven by?
CNS and vagus nerves
when does the gastric phase of gastric acid secretion happen?
when food is in the stomach - involves both physical and chemical mechanism
when does the intestinal phase of gastric acid secretion happen ?
after food has left stomach- chyme entering the upper small intestine causes weak stimulation of gastric section via neuronal and hormonal mechanisms
what are some other stimulants of G cells apart from amino acids?
Ca2+
caffeine
alcohol
how is gastric acid secretion inhibited during the cephalic phase?
vagal activity decreases upon cessation of eating and following stomach emptying.
pain, nausea and negative emotions also decrease vagal nerve activity which reduces gastric acid secretion
How is gastric acid secretion inhibited during the gastric phase?
pH falls when food exits stomach - release of somatostatin from D cells recommences, decreasing gastrin secretion
prostaglandin E2 works to reduce histamine and gastrin mediated HCL secretion
How is gastric acid secretion inhibited during the intestinal phase?
factors that reduce gastric motility also reduce gastric secretion e.g. neuronal reflexes, enterogastrones
what do prostaglandins (PGE2 and PGI2) do?
- reduce acid secretion
- increase mucus and bicarbonate secretion
- increase mucosal blood flow
What things does the small intestine receive from other organs?
- chyme from stomach
- pancreatic juice from pancreas
- bile from gall bladder
what liquid does the small intestines secrete?
intestinal juice (succus entericus)
what does the small intestine move residue to the large intestine via?
ileocaecal valve
Where is gastrin released from?
G cells of gastric antrum and duodenum
what peptide hormones does the small intestine secrete?
gastrin cholecystokinin (CCK) secretin motilin glucagon-like insulinotropic peptide (GIP) glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) Ghrelin
where is CCK released from?
from I cells of duodenum and jujunum
where is secretin released from?
from S cells of duodenum, released in response to H+ and fatty acids in lumen
where is motilin released from?
from M cells of duodenum and jejunum
where is GIP released from?
from K cells of duodenum and jejunum
where is GLP-1 released from?
from L cells of the gut