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Mixing
Movement
Absorption o
Digestion
Secretion
Adequate neuromuscular control
Mouth (oral cavity)
Provides lubrication
Contains salivary glands
Bolus is broken down by salivary amylase produced by salivary glands
Movement on tongue facilitates;
o mixing of food
o production of voice
anatomy of the oral cavity
o Roof is a tough hard palate in the front half and soft in the back half
o Floor is formed by the tongue
Salivary glands
Pharynx
Esophagus
Pancreas
Stomach
Storage organ
Mixing organ (churning)
Provides acidic environment
Small intestine
Large intestine
The GI tract contains four layers: the innermost layer is the mucosa, underneath this is
the submucosa, followed by the muscularis and finally, the outermost layer - the serosa The
structure of these layers varies, in different regions of the digestive system, depending on their
function.
Serosa
Muscularis
muscularis is responsible for the segmental contractions and peristaltic movements in the
gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
Contains two layers of muscle
o Circular smooth muscle layer (2-10µm)
o Longitudinal smooth muscle layer (200-500µm)
The two layers of muscle are arranged in a branching lattice work (criss-cross
arrangement) the fibers and arranged in the form of bundles and work as a unit in
syncytium.
The bundles are both co-joined (to allow working as a unit) and separated by lose
connective fibers (to be able to function even after damage of one fiber)
Layer of both circular and muscular are covered by interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC),
serving as a pacemaker which creates the bioelectrical slow wave potential that leads to
contraction of the smooth muscle
Submucosa
Help rid the body of toxins, waste and other unwanted materials.
Transport of lymph
absorbs and transports fatty acids and fats
Mucosa
Slow wave: initiated continuously by the interstitial cells of cajal (also known as electric pacemaker
of the GIT)
Tonic contractions:
Channels involved
Number of neurons in the enteric nervous system is approximately 100 million (equal to
number in spinal cord)
Involved in controlling GIT secretion and movements
Mainly composed of two plexuses
o Auerbach’s plexuses/ myenteric plexuses (between longitudinal and circular smooth
muscles)
Controls mainly gastrointestinal movements
Mostly excitatory (parasympathetic- preganglionic nerve fibers)
Has overall effect
o Submucosal plexuses/ meissner’s plexuses (lies in the submucosa)
Controls mainly hormonal secretion
Mostly inhibitory (sympathetic- postganglionic)
Has local effect
Myenteric Submucosal
Mainly involved in muscle activity (increase Mainly concerned with minute segments of
tonic contractions, increased rhythm of intestine controlling (local intestinal secretion,
contractions, increased velocity of conduction of local absorption, local contraction of submucosal
excitatory waves) muscle)
some neurons are inhibitory, secreting VIP
(vasoactive intestinal polypeptide) inhibits
function of some intestinal sphincter
Acetylcholine
Norepinephrine
ADP
Serotonin
Dopamine
Cholecytokinin
Substance P
Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide
Somatostatin (inhibitory function endocrine pancreatic secretions)
Parasympathetic nervous system Sympathetic nervous system
Has cranial and sacral division. Excitatory effect Sympathetic nerve fiber originate in the spinal
on enteric nervous system cord between T5-L2, inhibitory effect on the
whole GIT
Cranial parasympathetic nerve consist of Vagus Thoracic nerve fiber
nerve (X)
Sacral parasympathetic nerve include S2,S3,S4 Lumbar nerve fiber
Postganglionic parasympathetic nerve fibers Postganglionic sympathetic nerve fibers supply
mostly supply the myenteric and submucosal the whole GIT
plexuses
Supply the oral cavity, intestinal and anal region Supply the whole GIT
extensively
Secret mainly acetylcholine Secret mainly norepinepherine and to a slight
extent epinephrine
many afferent nerve fibers cell bodies are found in the enteric nervous system & some in
dorsal root of ganglia of spinal cord
Afferent sensory gut fibers can be stimulated by
o Irritation of the gut mucosa
o Excessive distention of gut
o Presence of specific chemical substance in the gut
Signals can be either excitatory or inhibitory
80% of vagus nerve signals are afferent
Reflexes of GIT
Are of 3 types
1. Enteric reflexes: control mostly peristalsis, mixing contractions, local inhibitory
effects
2. Short reflexes: include gastrocolic reflex, enterogastric reflex, colonoileal reflex
3. Long reflexes: pain reflex, defecation reflex, reflexes from stomach and duodenum
Gut → Spinal cord/ brain stem → GIT
1. Pain reflexes: cause general inhibition of GIT
2. Defecation reflexes: travel from the colon and rectum to the spinal cord and back to
again to produce a powerful colonic, rectal and abdominal contraction required for
defecation
Gut → prevertebral sympathetic ganglia → GIT
1. Enterogastic reflex: signals from colon and small intestine to inhibit stomach motility and
stomach secretion
Hormones of GIT
Hypovolemic shock is a life-threatening condition that results when you lose more than 20
percent (one-fifth) of your body's blood or fluid supply.
o To compensate for this loss the sympathetic nervous system reduces the gut supply
for a few minutes (causing vasoconstriction) to preserve blood flow to the brain and
heart.
Auto-regulatory escape is the phenomena in which after prolonged tissue hypoxia (oxygen
deficient state) of shock; sympathetic-mediated vasoconstriction gives way to vasodilatation
in GIT.