Set 9 Flashcards
What are four basic processes of the digestive system?
- Digestion
- Secretion
- Absorption
- Motility
What is the primary function of the digestive system?
Transfer nutrients, water, and electrolytes from ingested food into the body’s internal environment
What is the pathway through which food passes within the GI?
- Oral cavity
- Esophagus
- Stomach
- Small intestine
- Large intestine
- Rectum
What is the musculature of the esophagus composed of?
- Initially skeletal muscle (2/3)
- Smooth muscle afterwards (1/3)
What are plica?
Folds within the intestine that help increase the surface area
What are the layers to the digestive tract, starting with the innermost layer?
- Mucosa
- Submucosa
- Muscularis
- Serosa
What are the three layers of the mucosa?
- Mucous membrane
- Lamina propria
- Muscularis mucosa
What are the functions of the mucous membrane of the mucosa?
- Serves as a protective surface
- Modified for secretion and absorption
What kind of cells does the mucous membrane of the mucosa contain?
- Exocrine gland cells
- Endocrine gland cells
- Epithelial cells
What is the lamina propria? What does it contain?
- Thin layer of connective tissue
- Houses gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT)
What structure is important in the defense against disease-causing intestinal bacteria?
GALT
What is the muscularis mucosa?
Sparse layer of smooth muscle
What do cells at the base of intestinal crypts (Lieberkuhn) secrete?
Bactericidal enzymes
What are the structures of the small intestine?
- Duodenum
- Jejunum
- Ileum
What are the folds of the mucosa covered with?
Vili to increase the surface area
What are the folds in the stomach called? What are they marked by?
- Rugae
- Marked by depressions called gastric pits
What is found below gastric pits?
Coiled glands
What does the serosa secrete? What is its function?
- Serous fluid
- Lubricates and prevents friction between digestive organs and the surrounding viscera
The serosa is continuous with the mesentary throughout the GI tract. What does that provide?
- Attachment provides relative fixation
- Supports digestive organs in proper place while allowing them freedom for mixing and propulsive movements
How many salivary glands produce saliva? What is its composition?
- Three major pairs of salivary glands
- 99.5% H2O, 0.5% electrolytes and protein (amylase)
What is the function of salivary amylase?
Begins digestion of carbohydrates (secreted by serous cells)
Describe the antibacterial action of saliva.
- Lysozyme destroys bacteria
- Saliva rinses away material that could serve as a food source for bacteria
What kind of epithelium is contained within the esophagus?
Stratified squamous epithelium
What does the esophagus contain instead of serosa?
Adventitia
The esophagus extends from the _______ to the _______.
pharynx
stomach
What is the function of the pharyngoesophageal sphincter?
Keeps the entrance closed to prevent large volumes of air from entering the esophagus and stomach
What is the function of the gastroesophageal sphincter?
Prevents reflex of gastric contents
What is peristalsis?
Promotes forward movement by contracting behind the bolus
What is motility?
- Refers to the segmental muscular contractions that mix the food with enzymes
- There is NO net forward movement
- Increases their chances of absorption by digesting properly
What are the three sections of the stomach?
- Fundus (top)
- Body
- Antrum (bottom)
What is the function of the pyloric sphincter?
Serves as a barrier between the stomach and the upper part of the small intestine
What movements are included in gastric motility?
Propulsion (moving down) and retropulsion (moving up)
What occurs in the stomach when peristaltic contractions become stronger?
Some of the liquid chyme (partially digested food mix) squirts past the pyloric sphincter into the duodenum
Why is gastric emptying tightly regulated?
- Because the pH of the stomach is extremely low, and the small intestine can’t handle the acidity
- The chyme must first trigger the release of pancreatic juices to the small intestine PRIOR to gastric emptying
What are the principle factors that regulate gastric emptying?
Factors in the duodenum
What factors in the duodenum regulate gastric emptying (4)?
- Fat
- Acid
- Hypertonicity
- Distension
What does unneutralized acid in the duodenum cause?
Inhibits further emptying of acidic gastric contents until neutralization can be accomplished
How does hypertonicity influence gastric emptying?
Build-up of amino acids and glucose molecules in the duodenum slow gastric emptying
How does distension influence gastric emptying?
Too much chyme in the duodenum inhibits emptying of even more gastric contents
What is the neural response that is triggered based on the factors that control gastric emptying?
- Enterogastric reflex
- Acts to slow the peristaltic activity
- Autonomic system (smooth muscle contraction)
What is the hormonal response that is triggered based on the factors that control gastric emptying?
- Release of gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP)
- Hormone that acts on the gastric muscle to DECREASE peristalsis
How do sadness and fear influence gastric motility? How do anger and aggression influence gastric motility? How does intense pain influence motility?
- Sadness and fear decrease motility
- Anger and aggression increase motility
- Intense pain inhibits motility
What is contained within gastric juice?
- Pepsin
- Intrinsic factor
- Mucus
- Water