Digestive Physiology Flashcards
(72 cards)
four process of the digestive system
- secretion
- digestion
- motility
- absorption

anatomy of the digestive system

oral cavity
salivary glands
esophagus
gallbladder
liver
pancreas
stomach
small and large intestine
rectum

upper gastrointestinal tract
- begins the digestion of food
- minimal macronutrient absorption here
- mechanical and chemical digestion
saliva
Complex solution containing the enzyme salivary amylase (in babies also some lingual lipase**)
Also composed of water, mucus and ions
3 major glands secrete saliva and each gland secretes a different composition of fluid
- Parotid gland: watery saliva
- Submandibular gland: mixed saliva and mucus
- Sublingual gland: mainly mucus

stages of swallowing
After appropriate mechanical and chemical digestion, the bolus must be passed to the stomach via the esophagus
- Voluntary stage
Decisions for how much to chew and when to begin the process of swallowing
- Pharyngeal stage
Closing off of the nasal cavity and trachea, involuntary
- Esophageal stage
Movement of food down the esophagus, involuntary
mastication
the mechanical digestion of the good into a bolus
chemical digestion also occurs in the mouth
- enzyme salivary amylase: digests carbohydrates
- enzyme lingual lipase: digests fat *but doesnt begin until it reaches the stomach*
peristalsis
- co-ordinate contraction of the muscles in the esophagus
- involuntary control
- propels bolus toward the stomach (gravity not necessary)
- secondary paristalsis initiated bolus is lodged items in the esophagus

summary of mouth digestion
secretion: saliva of varying composition
digestion: chemical (amylase and lipase)
mechanical - mastication
motility: mastication in mouth peristalsis in esophagus
absorption: minimal
stomach

- acts as a reservior for bolus before it enters the intestine
- muscular contractions for mechanical breakdown
- bolus is liquefied to enhance enzymatic digestion
- secretion of 2-3 L of gastric juices
- gastric juices contributed by a number of cell types
basic stomach anatomy

esophagus
low esophageal sphincter
cardia
fundus
pylorus/pyloric sphincter
antrum
rugue

layers of the stomach
1. Mucosa
- single layer of cells that can be endocrine or exocrine
- large folds called rugue and also invaginations called pits
2. Submucosa
- contains a neural network (submucosal plexus)
- connective tissue to adhere mucosa to smooth muscle layer
3. Smooth muscle (muscularis externa)
- circular muscle, longitudinal muscle to change shape of the stomach
- contains a neural network (myeteric plexus)
4. Serosa
- external layer of densa connective tissue

exocrine & endocrine cells of the stomach
exocrine cells
1. Mucus neck cells
- secretes mucus and bicaronate
2. Chief cells
- secretes pepsinogen and gastric lipase
3. Parietal cells (oxyntic cells)
- secretes H+ and Cl- (HCl), intrinsic factor
endocrine cells
1. G cells
- secretes the hormone gastrin

exocrine and endocrine cells of stomach

exocrine cells
- Mucus neck cells
- secretes mucus and bicaronate - Chief cells
- secretes pepsinogen and gastric lipase - Parietal cells (oxyntic cells)
- secretes H+ and Cl- (HCl), intrinsic factor
endocrine cells
- G cells
- secretes the hormone gastrin

stomach mechanical digestion
Propulsion
Grinding
Retropulsion
bolus to chyme

stomach chemical digestion
secreted gastric juices contains hydrochloric acid (HCl)
lingual lipase *activated by HCl - lipid digestion begins
secreted pepsinogen converted to pepsin (because of HCl)
pepsin - protein digestion
secreted gastric lipase - lipid digestion
small intestine

- duodenum
- jejunum
- ileum

functions of acid in the stomach
- activation of lingual lipase - lipid digestion can occur
- activation of pepsin (from pepsinogen) - protein digestion can occur
- inactivation of salivary amylase - carbohydrate digestion stops
- kills microbes
- denatures (unwraps folded structure) proteins
- stimulus secretion of hormones
layers of the small intestine

- Mucosa
- contains mixed population of epithelial cells, small blood vessels and lymph vessels
- invaginations called crypts folds called villi - Submucosa
- contains a neural network (submucosal plexus) - Smooth muscle (muscularis)
- layers of smooth muscle (circular and longitudinal)
- contains a neural network (myenteric plexus) - Serosa
- thin layer of connective tissue

motility of the small intestine
segmentations
- special localized contractions for mixing chyme with digestive juices
- increases the interactions of particles of food in chyme with absorptive cells of the mucosa layer
peristalsis
- propels chyme from the pyloric sphincter towards the large intestine

cell types of the small intestine
- Absorptive cells
- epithelial cells with microvilli - Goblet cells
- secretes mucus - Intestinal gland cells
- secretes alkaline watery mucus - Paneth cells
- secretes lysozyme - S cells
- secretes secretin - CCK cells
- secretes cholecystokinin (CCK) stimulates release of bile - K cells
- secretes glucose dependent insulinotrophic peptide (GIP) stimulates release of insulin
microvilli

- also called brush border (fuzzy appearance)
- increases surface area for absorption of nutrients
- cells on the microvilli have enzymes called brush border enzymes
- final digestion of some nutrients to allow for absorption

brush border enzymes
- Lactase
- Sucrase
- Maltase
- Aminopeptidase
- removes one amino acid from the end of a protein - Dipeptidase
- cuts a dipeptide into two single amino acids - Enteropeptidase
- cuts trypsinogen into trypsin

large intestine

- completes absorption, usually water
- highly populated by bacteria, benefical for completing nutrient extraction via fermentation if any nutrients remain
motility of the large intestine
i. Gastroileal reflex
- presence of food in the stomach stimulates the opening of the ileocecal valve (neural reflex)
ii. Haustral churning
- mixing of large intestine contents from one haustrum to the next
- allows for optimal absorption of mostly water from the lumen contents
iii. Peristalsis & mass peristalsis
- unidirectional movement of lumen contents out of the large intestine


































