Gastrointestinal

Physiology
Irfan Idris
Physiology department
Medical faculty of UNHAS

LEARNING CONCEPT
GI TRACT

STRUCTURE
ACCESSORY
ORGANS

ORAL CAVITY
PHARYNX
ESOPHAGUS
STOMACH
SMALL INTESTINE
LARGE INTESTINE
RECTUM
ANAL CANAL
TONGUE
TEETH
SALIVARY GLANDS
PANCREAS
LIVER
GALL BLADDER

INGESTION
SECRETION

FUNCTION

DIGESTION
MOVEMENT
ABSORPTION

The alimentary tract provides the body with a

continual supply of water, electrolytes, and
nutrients :
(1) movement of food through the alimentary tract;
(2) secretion of digestive juices and digestion of the
food;
(3) absorption of water, various electrolytes, and
digestive products;
(4) circulation of blood through the gastrointestinal
organs to carry away the absorbed substances;
and
(5) control of all these functions by local, nervous,
and
hormonal systems

Functional Types of Movements in

the Gastrointestinal Tract

Propulsive movement :

Peristalsis : a contractile ring appears around the gut and

then moves forward;
this is analogous to putting ones fingers around a thin
distended tube, then constricting the fingers and sliding
them forward along the tube

Mixing movement

In some areas, the peristaltic contractions themselves cause

most of the mixing.
This is especially true when forward progression of the
intestinal contents is blocked by a sphincter, so that a
peristaltic wave can then only churn the intestinal contents,
rather than propelling them forward

law of the gut

(usus)

Stimulus for intestinal

peristalsis

Distention of the gut

Chemical or physical irritation of the
epithelial gut
Parasympathetic nervous signals

General Principles of Alimentary

Tract Secretion

Single-cell mucous glands called simply

mucous cells (goblet cells)
Pits that represent invaginations of the

Lieberkhn
Deep tubular glands

epithelium into the sub mucosa. In the small

intestine, these pits, called crypts of
Complex glandsthe salivary glands,
pancreas, and liver

Secretion of Water and

Electrolyte
1.

2.

3.

4.

Nerve stimulation on basal portion of the cell

membrane, causing active transport of Cl- ions to
the inside the cell
The resulting increase in electronegativity inside
the cell the causes positive ions also move to the
interior of the cell
The excess of both these ions inside the cell
creates an osmotic force that pulls water to the
interior, thereby increasing the hydrostatic
pressure inside the cell and causing the cell to
swell
The pressure in the cell then results in ruptures of
secretory border of the cell causes flushing of
water, electrolyte, and organic materials out of
the glandular cell into the lumen of the gland

Basic Regulatory Mechanism of

Glandular Cells

Effect of Local Contact

Effect of enteric nervous system

Tactile stimulation
Chemical irritation
Distention of the gut wall

Autonomic stimulation

The mechanical present of food causes the glands

to secrete moderate to large quantities of
digestive juice

Parasympathetic increase the rate of secretion

Sympathetic can have dual effect; increase or
decrease the secretion depend on the rate of
stimulation

Hormonal

DIGESTION PROCESS

Absorption of water and ion

Absorption of Nutrients

Absorption of Carbohydrates

Absorption of Proteins

sodium co-transport mechanism

Absorption of Fats

Glucose is transported by a Sodium Co-Transport Mechanism

Fructose is transported by facilitated diffusion

monoglycerides and free fatty bile micelles

Diffusion

Absorption in the Large Intestine: Formation of Feces

active absorption of sodium

electrical potential gradient created by absorption of the sodium
causes chloride absorption as well