Unit 4: Digestive Physio Flashcards
2 types of digestion are
mechanical- breaking food down into smaller parts
chemical- breaking covalent bonds
_______________ create stabilization of protein folds
hydrogen bonds
Salivary amylase is produced by ________1______
secreted into _________2___________
It acts on __________3_________
1- salivary glands
2- the oral cavity
3- starch or glycogen
Pepsin is produced by
chief / peptic cells
Hydrochloric acid is secreted by
parietal cells
salivary amylase is most active in which environment?
body temperature
99% of the molecular strucutre of the human body is composed of 4 atonms:
hydrogen
carbon
oxygen
nitrogen
organic molecules are divided into 4 categories:
carbohydrates
proteins
lipids
nucleic acids
Define “digestion”.
the process of breaking food down to the point it is absorbable (reduced down to its basic molecular fundamentals)
Compare and contrast mechanical digestion and chemical digestion
Mechanical-
reducing food from a large to a tiny size [not involving changing molecular structure]
-chewing / mastication: reducing food
[easier to swallow, increases surface area to enhance exposure of food to enzymes for chemical digest.]
Chemical-
always enzymatically catalyzed chemical reactions
-breaking covalent bonds
Define “absorption”.
movement of substances from lumen of GI tract to extracellular fluid
Describe all the structures that form the alimentary canal (digestive tract) from mouth to anus and briefly describe the function of each
mouth
esophagus
stomach
small intestine
large intestine
rectum
anus
Identify all of the accessory organs of the digestive system and briefly describe the function of each
Salivary glands
Pancreas
-provides secretions for chemica digestion & hormones
Liver
-secretions; mechanical & chemical digestion
Gall bladder
-reservoir; regulator of timing of secretion into small intestine
Describe the four layers of the alimentary canal.
Describe the location, structure, regional variations, and function of each layer.
- mucosa
-simple epithelium
-lamina propria (CT layer) - submucosa [CT layer; blood vessels here]
- muscularis externa
-circular layer [faces submucosa] -[constriction/dilation movement]
-longitudinal layer [lengthening/shortening] - serosa
Describe the enteric nervous system.
Identify the divisions, location and general function of the enteric nervous system.
“nervous system of the gut”
- submucosal plexus (Meissner’s) - regulates glandular secretion
- myenteric plexus (auerbach) - regulates motility & mixing actions (contraction/relaxation of muscularis externa)
Describe the types of movement characteristic of the alimentary canal.
Propulsive [peristalsis] - wave-like contraction; causes bolus to be squeezed down
Mixing [segmentation] - circular muscle contracts & squeezes around the bolus back and forth, breaking it up & blending it
Describe the role of the mouth in digestion.
What are the functions of the teeth, tongue, and saliva?
Teeth and tongue: mastication [mechanical digestion associated with chewing]
Salivary glands secrete saliva
~moisturizes food
~provides water base for enzymatic activity
~salivary amylase enzyme initiates chemical digestion of carbs
Describe the process of swallowing.
What prevents food from entering the airways?
~epiglottis: prevents food and drink from entering the windpipe (airways) and into digestive tract
~swallowed bolus > peristalsis > down esophagus > stomach
Describe the structure of the gastric pits.
Identify all of the gastric pit cell types and the produce they secrete.
~they are glands made of a variety of secretory cell types
~narrow, tubular invaginations
1) mucous cells: produce thick mucous, lining stomach contents (barrier)
2) chief / peptic cells: produce a proteolytic enzyme > pepsinogen [inactive; can be converted to active once it reaches acidified stomach contents]»_space;> activated as pepsin; Pepsin will catalyze chemical reactions to break down protein
3) parietal cells: hydrogen ions > hydrochloric acid
4) endocrine cells > secrete into interstitial fluid instead of lumen
~enterochromaffin, G, &D cells
Explain how proteolytic enzymes are prevented from digesting the cells that produce them.
Think of proteolytic enzymes as tiny cell scissors.
To stop them from accidentally cutting up the cell they come from:
They stay in specific, small parts of the cell,
Only activated when needed
They are picky with their function
Cell can turn them “off” when not needed
they are put in the right spots, so they cut only where it’s needed, without harming the cell.
Describe the mechanism of acid secretion.
While eating, stomach lining releases a hormone called gastrin, which activates parietal cells to pump out stomach acid (hydrochloric acid).
HCL helps break down food and protects against harmful bacteria, creating the right conditions for digestion.
Describe the structures of the intestines that are responsible for the large surface area of the intestinal mucosa.
What is the significance of this large surface area?
structures like folds (plicae circulares)
finger-like projections (villi)
tiny extensions (microvilli)
~ together create a large surface area in the intestines.
This large surface area is important because it helps in absorbing nutrients from the food we eat. When we digest food, the intestines need a lot of surface area to absorb nutrients effectively. The folds and projections increase the space available for this absorption
Describe the function of the crypts of Lieberkuhn (aka intestinal crypts or glands).
the epithelial cells at the base of the villi are actively dividing > escalator of epithelial cells against villi walls > old cells die and release their contents
Describe the function of Brunner’s glands (aka duodenal glands).
respond to stimuli associated with the contents of the small intestine, stimuli associated with hormones produces, and stimuli from the submucosal plexus > they will secrete their products into lumen of small intestine
produce bicarbonate > pH regulation
Describe the location and function of the brush border enzymes.
embedded in the microvilli membrane
~Fx: aid with final parts of digestion turning peptides/fats/carbs into small molcules that can be absorbed
Describe the mechanism of digestion and absorption for each of the major macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and fats).
Carbohydrates
secondary active transport to absorb against luminal border > into epithelial cell > moves across basil membrane into interstitial fluid > blood by facilitated diffusion
Proteins
follow a similar / more elaborate mode of absorption
~must be mechanically (Hcl denatures [uncoils] protein) and chemically digested (by way of proteases like pepsin) > amino acids move across membrane w/ sodium [secondary active transport] > bloodstream
Fats/lipids
additional challenge- not water soluble
~mechanical step: add emulsifier agent [bile salt] > mixing action reduces fat to smaller droplets > salts and fats released in 2 forms: fatty acids & monoglycerides freely diffuse into cytoplasm of epithelial mucosa cell [diffusion]
Fat is put back together & combined with proteins > released into lymphatic vessels > through lymph nodes > blood stream [bypasses liver processing]
Where does the majority of chemical digestion take place?
Small intestine
Where does the majority of nutrient absorption take place?
small intestine
What are the primary functions of the large intestine (aka colon)?
water absorption
Where are the enzymes necessary for chemical digestion in the small intestine produced?
brush border enzymes - (small intestine)
Pancreas
saliva (amylase)
Describe the structure and hormones associated with the endocrine portion of the pancreas.
property of pancreatic islets
Variety of cell types produce hormones like insulin & glucagon : these regulate glucose / blood sugar levels
Describe the structure and secretory products associated with the exocrine portion of the pancreas.
role where pancreatic acini secrete products into ducts > ducts merge to run down center of pancreas and drain contents in small intestine
Bicarbonate- neutralizes acid in chyme from stomach
Brunner’s glands- also secrete bicarbonate
enzymes associated with lipid digestion- lipases
enzymes associated with carb digestion- amylases
enzymes associated with protein digestion- proteases [3]