Gastrointestinal System Flashcards

1
Q

List the functions of the GI/digestive system. (7)

A
  1. Ingestion
  2. Mechanical processing
  3. Digestion
  4. Secretion
  5. Absorption
  6. Compaction
  7. Defecation
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2
Q

List the organs/components of the digestive tract. (6)

A
  1. Oral cavity
  2. Pharynx
  3. Oesophagus
  4. Stomach
  5. Small intestine
  6. Large intestine
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3
Q

List the accessory organs of the GI system.

A
  1. Salivary glands
  2. Liver
  3. Gallbladder
  4. Pancreas
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4
Q

Which stain would be typically be used in investigation of the digestive tract?

A

H&E (haematoxylin and eosin)

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5
Q

List the typical layers of the digestive tract (internal to external).

A
  1. Mucosa
  2. Submucosa
  3. Muscularis propria
  4. Adventitia/serosa
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6
Q

What role does the oral cavity play in relation to the GI system?

A

Ingestion, mechanical processing and some digestion.

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7
Q

List the extrinsic salivary glands.

A
  1. Parotid
  2. Submandibular
  3. Sublingual
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8
Q

Which cranial nerve is involved in mastication?

A

CN V - trigeminal

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9
Q

Where is the oesophagus located?

A

Between the pharynx and the stomach.

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10
Q

What is the function of the oesophagus?

A

To transport food from pharynx to stomach.

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11
Q

What is found within the mucosa of the oesophagus?

A
  1. Non keratinising stratified squamous epithelium
  2. Lamina propria
  3. Muscularis mucosae
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12
Q

What is found within the submucosa of the oesophagus?

A
  1. Glands

2. Lymphoid follicles

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13
Q

Describe the muscle layer of the oesophagus.

A
  1. External layer is longitudinal muscle and inner layer is circular muscle.
  2. Superior third = voluntary striated muscle (skeletal)
  3. Middle third = voluntary striated and smooth muscle
  4. Inferior third = smooth muscle
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14
Q

Where is the stomach located?

A

Between the oesophagus and duodenum of small intestine. (Epigastric, left hypochondrium and umbilical regions).

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15
Q

What is the function of the stomach?

A
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16
Q

List the major functions of the stomach.

A
  1. Acting as a mixing compartment to produce chyme.
  2. Storage/emptying
  3. Secretes gastric juice to contribute to digestion.
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17
Q

List the regions of the stomach.

A
  1. Cardiac region
  2. Fundus
  3. Body
  4. Pyloric antrum
  5. Pyloric canal
  6. Pyloric sphincter
  7. Pylorus
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18
Q

Which curvature of the stomach is lateral and which is medial?

A

Lateral: greater
Medial: lesser

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19
Q

What are the three layers of the mucosa of the stomach?

A
  1. Epithelium
  2. Lamina propria
  3. Muscularis mucosae
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20
Q

Describe the submucosa of the stomach.

A
  1. Connective tissue
  2. Vascular plexus that supplies mucosa
  3. Allows mucosa to move freely over deeper structures
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21
Q

List the muscle layers of the muscularis of the stomach from deepest to most superficial.

A
  1. Oblique muscular layer
  2. Circular muscular layer
  3. Longitudinal muscular layer
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22
Q

The outer surface of the stomach is covered in a layer of…

A

Peritoneum

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23
Q

What is the peritoneum of the stomach continuous with?

A

Superiorly: lesser omentum
Inferiorly: greater omentum

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24
Q

Which cells are found within the epithelium of the stomach? (6)

A
  1. Surface mucous cells
  2. Mucous neck cells
  3. Parietal (oxyntic) cells
  4. Chief cells
  5. G cells
  6. Stem cells
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25
Q

Describe the surface mucous cells of the stomach.

A

Tall, thin, columnar epithelial cells

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26
Q

What is the function of the surface mucous cells of the stomach?

A
  1. Secrete mucin which combines with water to form mucus

2. Mucous protects underlying mucosa from self abrasion that may result from stomach acid

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27
Q

Describe the mucous neck cells of the stomach.

A

Low columnar epithelial cells

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28
Q

What is the function of the mucous neck cells of the stomach?

A

To secrete a soluble mucous in the active stomach

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29
Q

Describe the parietal (oxyntic) cells of the stomach.

A
  1. Oval epithelial cells

2. Contain canaliculi with irregular microvilli edges

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30
Q

What do the canaliculi of the parietal stomach cells contain?

A

H+/K+ ATPase antiporters

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31
Q

What is the function of the parietal cells of the stomach?

A
  1. Secrete hydrochloric acid

2. Secrete an intrinsic factor which is essential for vitamin B12 absorption

32
Q

Describe the chief cells of the stomach.

A

Cuboidal epithelial

33
Q

What is the function of the chief cells of the stomach?

A
  1. Secrete pepsinogen which is converted to pepsin by HCl
  2. Secrete gastric lipase
  3. Secrete rennin in infants
34
Q

Describe the G cells of the stomach.

A

Large, round enteroendocrine cells

35
Q

What is the function of the G cells of the stomach?

A
  1. Secrete gastrin which stimulates parietal and chief cell secretions
  2. Increase motility of the stomach
  3. Relax the pyloric sphincter
36
Q

Describe the stem cells of the stomach.

A

Low, columnar epithelial cells with short microvilli on apical surfaces

37
Q

What are the three sections of the small intestine?

A
  1. Duodenum
  2. Jejunum
  3. Ileum
38
Q

Where is the duodenum located?

A

Between the pylorus of the stomach and duodenojejunal junction.

39
Q

When chyme reaches the duodenum, what does it trigger the release of?

A
  1. Hormones that stimulate the gall bladder and liver to secrete bile
  2. Enzymes from the pancreas
40
Q

Where do chemicals enter the duodenum?

A

On the medial side via the hepatopancreatic ampulla (ampulla of Vater)

41
Q

List the functions of the duodenum.

A
  1. Mixing secretions from liver, pancreas and duodenum with food
  2. Neutralisation of acid
  3. Further digestion
  4. Absorption
42
Q

List the functions of the jejunum.

A
  1. Completing breakdown of chyme

2. Nutrient absorption

43
Q

What is the function of the ileum?

A

Nutrient absorption

44
Q

What surface specialisations does the mucosa of the small intestine have?

A

Villi

45
Q

What are the three layers of mucosa in the small intestine?

A
  1. Epithelium
  2. Lamina propria
  3. Muscularis mucosae
46
Q

Describe the epithelial cells of the small intestine.

A

Columnar epithelium specialised for digestion and absorption of nutrients.

47
Q

Where are Brunner’s glands found and what is their function?

A
  1. Submucosa of small intestine

2. Produce alkaline mucus that acts by neutralising the acidic chyme from the stomach

48
Q

Where does the myenteric plexus lie?

A

Between the circular and longitudinal muscle layers of the muscularis of small intestine.

49
Q

What is the serosa of the small intestine composed of?

A

Simple squamous epithelium

50
Q

Describe the absorptive epithelial cells of the small intestine.

A
  1. Tall, thin, simple columnar epithelial cells
  2. Present on surface of villi
  3. Covered in microvilli
51
Q

What is the function of the absorptive epithelial cells of the small intestine?

A

Uptake of nutrients and to produce digestive enzymes in the small intestine.

52
Q

Describe the goblet cells of the small intestine.

A
  1. Columnar epithelial cells

2. Mucus filled goblet shaped spaces

53
Q

What is the function of the goblet cells of the small and large intestine?

A
  1. Synthesise an alkaline mucus that lines mucosal wall to provide lubrication
  2. Prevent digestive enzymes from eroding cell walls
54
Q

Where are the crypts of Lieberkuhn found and what do they contain?

A
  1. Found in grooves between intestinal villi

2. Hormone secreting cells, Paneth cells, constantly dividing epithelial cells

55
Q

Describe the enteroendocrine cells of the small intestine.

A
  1. Large, triangular and hormone secreting

2. Large, irregular nuclei surrounded by granules

56
Q

What is the function of the enteroendocrine cells of the small intestine?

A

To secrete hormones

57
Q

What is the function of the Paneth cells of the small intestine?

A

They secrete lysozyme which protects the gut wall by rupturing bacterial cell walls.

58
Q

List the enzymes found at the brush border of the small intestine. (9)

A
  1. Aminopeptidases
  2. Dextrinase
  3. Dipeptidase
  4. Enteropeptidase
  5. Lactase
  6. Maltose
  7. Nucleosidase
  8. Phosphatases
  9. Sucrase
59
Q

What is the function of aminopeptidases?

A
  1. Cleave proteins
  2. Breaking down peptide chains in to small peptide chains
  3. In the presence of metal ions
60
Q

What is the function of dextrinase?

A

Breaks down dextrin, a short chain glucose polymer

61
Q

What is the function of dipeptidase?

A

Breaks down dipeptides in to single amino acids

62
Q

What is the function of enteropeptidase?

A
  1. Cleaves amino acids from trypsinogen in to active form, trypsin
  2. Activates chymotrypsin, elastase and carboxypeptidase
63
Q

What is the function of lactase?

A

Breaks down lactate in to glucose and galactose

64
Q

What is the function of maltose?

A

Breaks down maltose in to two glucose molecules

65
Q

What is the function of nucleosidase?

A
  1. Breaks down nucleotides
  2. Removes phosphate group
  3. Yields pentode sugar and free bases
66
Q

What is the function of phosphatases?

A

Remove phosphate groups from their substrates.

67
Q

What is the function of sucrase?

A

Break down sucrose in to fructose and glucose

68
Q

What is the function of the large intestine?

A
  1. Absorb water and salts

2. Eliminate waste

69
Q

What is the first part of the large intestine?

A

The caecum

70
Q

What is the function of the absorptive cells of the large intestine?

A

Absorption of mainly water and salts

71
Q

What is the difference between the mucosa of the small and large intestine?

A

Small: circular folds or villi for increased surface area
Large: long, tubular intestinal glands so less surface area

72
Q

What are haustral contractions?

A

Slow segmental contractions that occur every 30 minutes to move faeces from caecum to rectum for expulsion.

73
Q

Which structures are covered by the peritoneum?

A
  1. Stomach
  2. Liver
  3. Jejunum
  4. Ileum
74
Q

What are the sections of the colon?

A
  1. Ascending colon
  2. Transverse colon
  3. Descending colon
  4. Sigmoid colon
75
Q

What is the function of the colon?

A
  1. To remove further water, nutrients and electrolytes

2. Move chyme/faeces to rectum