Physiology Flashcards
Lecture 1 - Intro to Structure, Function & control of alimentary canal Lecture 2 - Feeding & Satiety Lecture 3 - Digestion & absorption; small intestine and exocrine pancreas Lecture 4 - Digestion & absorption; Carbohydrates, protein Lecture 5 - digestion & absorption; Lipids, Ca, Fe and vitamins (246 cards)
what is the alimentary canal?
= series of hollow organs running from mouth to anus (oral to aboral)
how are the structures in the alimentary canal separated?
= by sphincters which control movement
what does the mouth and oropharynx do?
= chops and lubricates food, = strating carbohydrate digestion
= propelling food to oesophagus
what does the oesophagus do?
= propels food too stomach
what does the stomach do?
= stores/churns food.
= continues carbohydrate digestion and initiates protein digestion.
= regulates delivery of chyme to duodenum
what does the small intestine consist of?
1) duodenum
2) jejunum
3) ileum
what tis the principle she of digestion and absorption of nutrients?
small intestine
what does the large intestine consist of?
1) caecum
2) appendix
3) colon
which part of the large intestine reabsorbs fluid and electrolytes, and stores faecel matter before delivery to rectum?
= colon
ascending, transverse, descending and sigmoidal components
what does the rectum and anus do?
= regulated expulsion of faeces
what are the 3 accessory structures?
1) salivary glands
2) pancreas
- note = only the exocrine pancreas is part of GI system
3) liver and gal bladder (hepatobiliary system)
what are 4 generalised structures of the digestive tract wall?
1) mucosa
2) sub-mucosa
3) muscularis externa
4) serosa
what 3 things does the mucosa contain?
- mucous membrane (epithelial, exocrine & endocrine gland cells)
- lamina propria
(capillaries, enteric neurones, gut associated lymphoid tissue) - muscularis mucosa
what 4 things does the sub-mucosa consist of?
- connective tissue
- larger blood and lymph vessels
- glands
- sub-mucosa plexus (neurone network)
what does the muscularis externa consist of?
- circular muscle layer
- myenteric plexus (neurone network)
- longitudinal muscle lauer
what does the serosa layer contain?
connective tissue
what are the 4 main functions of the alimentary canal?
+ describe each briefly
1) motility (movement)
= mostly involving smooth muscle, but skeletal at mouth, pharynx, upper oesophagus and external anal sphincter
2) secretion = into lumen of digestive tracts occurs from itself & accessory structures in response to presence of food, hormonal and neural signals. Required for; (i) digestion (ii) lubrication (iii) protection
3) digestion
= breakdown of foodstuff by enzymatic hydrolysis into absorbable (MONOSACARIDES) units
4) absorption
= transfer of absorbable products of digestion from digestive tract to blood/lymph
(mediated by numerous transport mechanism)
in GI motility, describe circular/longitudinal muscle contraction and muscularis mucosae contraction?
(smooth muscle)
circular muscle contraction
= lumen becomes narrower & longer
Longitudinal muscle contration
= intestine becomes shorter & fatter
Muscularis mucosae contraction
= change in absorptive & secretory area of mucosa (folding), mixing activity
how is smooth muscle in GI tract coupled?
= electrically coupled
how are adjacent smooth muscle cells coupled?
= by gap junctions
- electrical currents flow from cell two cell
how do the smooth muscles act?
= cells are depolarised & contract AT SAME TIME as a synchronous wave (single unit of smooth muscle)
how is spontaneous activity across coupled cells driven and how is it modulated?
= Driven by specialised pacemaker cells
Modulated by;
- intrinsic (enteric) and extrinsic (autonomic) nerves
- numerous hormones
in the stomach, how does spontaneous electrical activity in small and large intestine occur?
= SLOW WAVE
- rhythmic depolarisation & depolarisation that spreads from cell to cell via gap junctions
what does the slow wave electrical activity in the stomach determine?
= the frequency, direction and velocity of rhythmic contractions