Week 5 - Digestive System Flashcards
List some functions of the digestive system
- Ingestion
- Mechanical processing
- Digestion
- Secretion
- Absorption
- Excretion
Name the parts of the gastrointestinal tract
Oral Cavity, teeth tongue - Mechanical processing, moistening,
salivary secretions
Pharynx - Propulsion
Oesophagus - Transport of materials to stomach
Stomach - Chemical breakdown; mechanical processing
Small Intestine - Enzymatic digestion and absorption
Large intestine - Enzymatic digestion and absorption.
Accessory organs of digestive system:
Salivary glands - Secretion of saliva
Liver - Secretion of bile, many other functions
Gallbladder - Storage of bile
Pancreas - Secretion of buffers and enzymes
What is the peritoneum and mesentries?
Peritoneum:
Serous membrane - visceral layer covers organs, parietal layer lines cavities.
Peritoneal fluid - 7l/day produced; provides lubrication to allow sliding.
Mesenteries:
Suspend portions of digestion tract
Allow passage of blood vessels, nerves and lymphatic vessels.
What does the digestive tract protect against and what is its histological organisation?
Protects against:
Digestive acids and enzymes
Mechanical stresses
Bacteria
4 major layers:
1.Mucosa
2.Submucosa
3.Muscularis externa
4.Serosa
Describe the mucosa
Mucosal epithelium
• Stratified squamous
epithelium in oral cavity,
pharynx & oesophagus
• Simple columnar with
mucous cells elsewhere
Lamina Propria
• Areolar tissue with blood
and lymphatic vessels
and nerve endings
Muscularis Mucosae
• Inner circular layer
• Outer longitudinal layer
Describe the submucosa
• Layer of dense, irregular connective tissue
• Has large blood vessels and lymphatic vessels
• May contain exocrine glands
• Secrete buffers and enzymes into digestive tract
• Submucosal Plexus- neural network
• Innervates the mucosa and submucosa
Describe the muscularis externa
• Smooth muscle cells:
• Inner circular layer
• Outer longitudinal layer
• Movements coordinated by enteric
nervous system (ENS)
• Sensory neurons, Interneurons and
Motor neurons
• Innervated primarily by parasympathetic
division of ANS
Describe the serosa
• Serous membrane covering muscularis externa in most of digestive tract
• Replaced by adventitia (dense sheath of collagen fibers to attach adjacent structures) in oral cavity, pharynx, oesophagus, and rectum
Describe how movement of Digestive materials occurs
Rhythmic cycles of smooth muscle activity controlled by pacesetter cells
• Located in muscularis mucosae and muscularis externa
• Cells undergo spontaneous depolarization
• Waves of contraction through entire muscular sheet
Peristalsis
• Waves of muscular contractions
Segmentation
• Cycles of contraction, does not follow a set pattern
Give functions of the oral cavity
• Sensory analysis
• Mechanical processing
• Lubrication
• Limited digestion
-carbohydrates (salivary
amylase from salivary
glands)
-Lipids (lingual lipase
produced by tongue)
Passageway for food, liquids and
air
• Opens to oropharynx
(continuous with
nasopharynx)
Describe salivary glands and saliva
Saliva
• 1.0-1.5 L/day produced
• Contains water (>99%),
electrolytes, buffers, mucins,
antibodies
Functions of Saliva:
• Lubricating the mouth and contents
• Dissolving chemicals
• Initiating digestion of complex
carbohydrates by salivary amylase
Salivary Glands
• Parotid, Sublingual and
Submandibular
• Produce saliva controlled by
parasympathetic and sympathetic
stimulation
What’s the role of the oesophagus
• Conveys solid food and liquids to the stomach
• Resting muscle tone in the superior 3 cm of prevents air from entering
• Adventitia anchors to surrounding structures
Give the major functions of the stomach
• Storage of ingested food
• Mechanical breakdown
• Chemical breakdown
- By enzymes
-pepsin starts protein breakdown
-Continued activity of salivary
amylase and lingual lipase
• By acid (HCl)
-pH reduces to 2
• Production of intrinsic factor
- Needed for vitamin B12
absorption
Describe the stomach lining
Simple columnar
epithelium lines stomach
- Produces mucus
Gastric pits connect
gastric glands in mucosa
onto the gastric surface
- Cells at the base
divide, replacing
superficial cells
Smooth Muscle
(muscularis mucosae and
muscularis externa)
- Oblique layer in
addition to circular and
longitudinal layers
Describe the stomach glands
Gastric Glands
- In fundus and body of stomach
- Parietal cells
-Secrete intrinsic factor and HCl
-Chief cells
-Secrete pepsinogen
- Converted to pepsin by HCl
- G cells
- Secrete gastrin
Pyloric Glands
-In pylorus!
- Produce mucous
- G cells secrete gastrin
- D cells release somatostatin (inhibits
gastrin release)