Lecture 3: Secretions of the GI tract and Pancreas Flashcards
(76 cards)
What is the function of saliva?
- Initial digestion of Starches and lipids
- Dilution and buffering of ingested food
- Lubrication of ingested food w/ mucus
What are Parotid glands?
- Composed of serous cells
- Secrete fluids composed of water, ions, enzymes (rich in amylase)
- Secrete 25% of the daily output of saliva
What are submaxillary and Sublingual glands?
- Composed of serous and mucous cells
- Secrete aqueous fluid and mucin glycoprotein for lubrication
- Secrete majority, 75%, of daily output of saliva
Describe the structure/function of a salivary gland (acinus, myoepithelial cells, intercalated duct, and striated ducts)
Acinus (blind end) - acinar cells secrete initial saliva
Myoepithelial cells - motile extensions, when stimulated by neural input, contract to eject saliva into the mouth
Intercalated duct - saliva here is similar in ionic composition to plasma
Striated duct - modify the initial saliva to produce the final saliva (hypotonic), alter the concentration of various electrolytes

What is saliva composed of?
H2O, electrolytes, α-amylase, lingual lipase, kallikrein, and mucus
What are the concentrations of electrolytes that make saliva hypotonic compared to plasma?
Increased K+ & HCO3 concentrations
Decreased Na+ & Cl- concentrations

What are the 2 main steps in the formation of saliva and the cells involved?
1) Formation of isotonoc, plasma-like, solution by acinar cells
2) Modification of the isotonic solution by the ductal cells

What are the transport mechanism occuring on the lumen/apical side of the salivary ductal cell?
Na+/H+ exchanger
Cl-/HCO3- exchanger
H+/K+ exchanger

What are the transport mechanism occurs on the blood/basolateral side of the salivary ductal cell?
- Na+/K+ ATPase
- Cl- channels
- HCO3-/Na+ symporter

During salivary secretion what is the combined action of solute movement and what is the net effect; why does it become hypotonic?
- Absorption of Na+ and Cl- (lower compared to plasma)
- Secretion of K+ and HCO3- (higher compared to plasma)
- Net absorbtion of solute (more NaCl is absorbed than KHCO3 secreted), and because ductal cells are impermeable to water the solution can become hypotonic
How does saliva become hypotonic as it flows through the ducts?
Ductal cells are impermeable to H2O
Discuss the ANS innervations of salivary glands, which is the dominant effect; why is this one of our exceptions?
PNS - presynaptic nerves originate at facial (CN VII) and glossopharyngeal (CN IX) nerves - PNS is DOMINANT effect
SNS - preganglionic nerves originate at the cervical ganglion, whose postganglionic fibers extend to gands in the periarterial space
*BOTH PNS and SNS stimulate salivary secretion - one of the exceptions
What stimulants activate and inhibit the PNS for salivary secretion, describe the pathway?
- Conditioning, food, nausea, smell (activators)
- Dehydration, fear, and sleep (inhibitors)
- Presynaptic nerves of CN VII or IX will release ACh that binds to a mAChR –> Increases IP3 and Ca2+ in the acinar or ductal cells, which will increase the secretion of saliva

Decribe the SNS innervation pathway for secretion of saliva
- Pre-ganglionic nerves from T1-T3 synapse at cervical ganglion.
- Post-ganglionic sympathetic neurons release NE, which interacts w/ β-adrenergic receptors on acinar and ductal cells.
- Activation of these receptors leads to stimulation of adenyly cyclase and production of cAMP, which leads to increased saliva production

Stimulation of salivary cells results in what 3 things?
- Increased saliva production
- Increased HCO3 and enzyme secretion
- Contraction of myoepithelial cells
What effects do Vasopressin and aldosterone have on the composition of saliva?
Modify composition by decreasing its [Na+] and increasing its [K+]
What are the 2 unusual features in the regulation of salivary secretion?
- Salivary is exclusively under the control of the ANS
- Salivary secretion is increased by BOTH the PNS and SNS (generally these 2 have opposite actions in the GI tract)
What are the main components secreted in gastric juice?
- HCL (H+)
- Pepsinogen
- Mucus
- Intrinsic factor
- H2O
What is the function of HCL (H+) in gastric juice?
- Together w/ pepsin, it initiates protein digestion
- Necessary for conversion of pepsinogen to pepsin
- Kills a large # of bacteria that enter the stomach
Function of the mucus secreted in gastric juice?
- Lines the wall of stomach and protects it from damage
- Lubricant
- Together w/ HCO3, it neutralizes acid and maintains the surface of mucosa at neutral pH
Function of Intrinsic Factor (IF) secreted in gastric juice?
Required for the absorption of vitamin B12 in the ileum
What are the 2 gland divisions of the gastric mucosa, where is each found, and what is the function of each?
Oxyntic gland - proximal 80% of stomach (body and fundus), secretes acid
Pylroic gland - distal 20% of stomach (antrum), synthesizes and releases gastrin

What cells types are found in the oxyntic gland and what does each secrete?
- Mucous neck cell: mucus and pepsinogen
- Parietal cells: HCL and IF
- Enterochromaffin-like cell: Histamine
- D cell: Somatostatin
- Chief cell: Pepsinogen
- Enterochromaffin cell (ANP): Serotonin

What cell types are found in the pyloric gland and what does each secrete?
- Mucous neck cell: mucus and pepsinogen
- G cell: gastrin
- D cell: somatostatin






















