Unit VI- Intestines I Flashcards
1
Q
Small intestine
A
- begins distal to the pyloric sphincter of the stomach and extends some 21 feet to the cecum
- three parts: duodenum: 1 foot long
- jejenum: promiximal 2/5, 8 feet long
- ileum: distal 3/5, 12 feet long
2
Q
Absorptive Surface Area per cm of Gut
A
- surface area of simple cylinder- jejunum (10); ileum (10)
- mucosal folds of Kerkring- jejunum (75); ileum (24)
- villi- jejunum (750); ileum (240)
- microvilli- jejunum (15000); ileum (4800)
- jejunum has 3x more surface area than ileum, consistent with greater absorption occuring in jejunum as compared with ileum
- in cardiovascular and pulmonary systems, increases surface area is achieved by successive bifurcations leading to 10 billion capillaries and 300 million alveoli
- in GI system, increased surface area is achieved by successive foldings of the the surface
3
Q
Comparison of the anatomy of the small and large intestines
A
- the surface of the sm intestine: macroscopic folds of Kerckring, microscopic villi and crypts of Lieberkuhn and submicroscopic microvilli
- the surface of colon- macroscopic semilunar folds, crypts but not villi, and microvilli
4
Q
Total Intestinal Absorptive Area
A
- average length of sm intestine: 700 cm= 21 feet
- total absorptive surface area: 700 sq meters about about 26-27 meters square, or about 1/3 size of a football field (same size as total capillary surface area)
- above half absorptive surface area is required for absorption; about half can be surgically removed without compromising absorptive function
5
Q
Celiac Disease
A
- malabsorptive syndrome/ non-tropical sprue or Sprue
- gluten is the insoluble protein of wheat and other grains in bread
- gluten by some means destroys absorptive cells and decreases the number of functional villi
- since food that is digested cannot be absorbed, diarrhea and malnutrition result. Dehydration can be fatal
- requires restricted diet- avoid wheat grains
- tropical sprue- an infectious disease present in certain areas of tropical countries associated with diarrhea, malabsorption and nutritional defiencies
6
Q
Renewel of intestinal cells
A
- cells are being constantly generated at the base of the villi and migrate toward the tip
- extruded 3-8 days later
- 250 grams of cells are shed daily
- 5 days for a cell to mature and reach the tip of villus
- every week you get a new intestinal epithelium
- digested in gut and useful contents recycled
- cell renewal is reduces as a result of radiation malnutrition or sprue
7
Q
Cells in villi
A
- comprised of absorptive cells called enterocytes- columnar epithelial cells in a single layer
- goblet cells- secrete mucus in response to ACh from parasympathetic cholinergic nerve fibers- protective barrier and peristalsis
- undiff cells of crypt secrete NaCl from the blood into the lumen and water follows osmotically
- the crypt cells stop secreting as they migrate up the villus and take on an absorptive function (NaHCO3 or NaCL)
8
Q
Radiation Sickness
A
- goblet cells and enterocytes have a common stem cell at the base of the crypts
- because of high turnover of intestinal mucosa there is a great sensitivity to radiation damage
- radiation victums experience intestinal bleeding, diarrhea, and slow death from malabsorption and dehydration
- side effects of certain types of radiation cancer therapy are similar
- Hiroshima and Chernobyl
9
Q
Enterocyte- intestinal absorptive cell
A
- intestinal absorptive cell
- transfer materials via two parallel pathways
- transcellular pathway- across brush border and then through cytoplasm and finally across basolateral membrane
- shunt pathway (paracellular pathway) through tight junction and extracellular space (low resistance, high conductance, pathway)
10
Q
Enterocyte- brush border
A
- or apical membrane
- has a glycoprotein matrix and is the major membrane for absorption of nutrients
- has ectoenzymes (enterokinase, disaccharidases and peptidases) that complete the digestive process
- the basement membrane, or lamina propria, contains capillaries and lacteals
11
Q
Junctional Permeability
A
- tight junction wraps around cell like a collar
- paracellular pathway also called pericellular pathway or shunt pathway
- shunt is permeable to H2O and cations but has low permeability to anions
- jejunum>ileum> colon : from leaky to tight
12
Q
Intestinal Fluid and Electrolyte Balance
A
- Input: diet (2.5L), saliva (1L), gastric juices (2 L), Bile (1 L), Pancreatic juice (2L), succus entericus (1L) = 9.5L
- Output: jejunal absorption (5L), ileal absorption (2.5L), colonic absorption (1.8L), feces (0.2L) = 9.5L
13
Q
Sites of Intestinal Absorption of Solutes and Nutrients
A
- water and most nutrient substances are absorbed from duodenum and upper jejunum, and completely absorved by the end of jejunum
- exception: B12- requires combination with intrinsic factor and ionized bile salts which undergo enterohepatic circulation. Both of these substances are absorbed in the distal ileum
- ileum absorbs some fluid and electrolytes an B12 and ionized bile salts by sodium dependent co transport, if jejunum is removed the ileum takes over function, if ileum taken out there is also adaptation
14
Q
Vitamin B12
A
- deficiency causes pernicious anemia, a type of macrocytic anemia characterized by unusually large red blood cells;
- intrinsic factor is a mucoprotein secreted by gastric parietal cells, it combines Vit B12 in the stomach forming a complex that is absorbed in the distal ileum
15
Q
Jejunal absorptive cell
A
- jejunal enterocyte absorbs Na+ and HCO3- along with glucose and amino acids
- pancreas secretes NaHCO3 which serves to neutralize acid from the stomach
- the jejunal absorptive cell shown above avidly absorbs NaHCO3 to maintain fluid balance and thereby prevents diarrhea