Gastrointestinal System

This set of flashcards covers essential concepts of the gastrointestinal system, digestion processes, Crohn's disease, its complications, symptoms, and treatment options, as discussed in the Public Health Biology & Pathophysiology lecture.

What are the main components of the digestive tract in the GI system?

Mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine.

What organs assist with digestion in the gastrointestinal system?

Liver, gallbladder, pancreas.

What is digestion?

The process by which food is broken down mechanically and chemically in the GI tract.

What is absorption?

The process of taking in nutrients and moving them to the circulation to be used by cells.

What is the function of the mouth in digestion?

Breaks up food particles and initiates chemical digestion with saliva.

What enzymes does the stomach secrete?

pepsin: digests protein

catalysts (hydrochloric acid): breaks down protein

What is the function of the pharynx?

It is involved in swallowing food.

How does the stomach aid in digestion?

It stores and churns food, secretes enzymes like pepsin for protein digestion, and produces HCl to activate enzymes.

What is chyme?

Moistened, mixed, acidic food that leaves the stomach for the small intestine.

What occurs in the duodenum?

Most of the digestion takes place here, involving digestive enzymes.

What is the role of bicarbonate secreted by the pancreas?

To neutralize stomach acid in the small intestine.

What materials are absorbed in the small intestine?

Nutrients, water, and most electrolytes through villi.

What is the main function of the large intestine?

To reabsorb water and ions and to form and store feces.

What is Crohn's Disease?

A chronic inflammatory bowel disease characterized by inflammation of the GI tract.

What areas are most commonly affected by Crohn's Disease?

It can affect any part of the GI tract but is more common at the end of the small intestine.

Who get’s Crohn’s disease?

equally men and women

more prevelant in smokers

etiology of Crohn’s Disease?

Interaction of genetics, immune system activation, and environmental factors, mybe auto-immune triggered by bacteria in digestive tract

What are common symptoms of Crohn’s Disease?

Symptoms can range from mild to severe and include inflammation along the GI tract. Frequent diarrhea, abdominal pain or tenderness, fever, weighlost, nemia, vomiting

What complications can arise from Crohn’s Disease?

Intestinal obstruction

Fistulas: inflammation goes through walls of intestine to create tunnels

abscesses: pus filled pocket of infection

anal fissures: tears in anus, itching pain bleeding

ulcers: open sores in mouth, intestine, anus

malnutrition: cannot absorb right amount of nutrients

What are some diagnostic methods for Crohn’s Disease?

Blood tests, imaging tests like CT scans and endoscopy.

Treatment for Crohn’s disease

pharmacotherapy like medication, non-prescription like pain relievers, or surgery

How does Crohn’s Disease differ from Ulcerative Colitis?

Crohn's can occur anywhere in the GI tract, mostly small intestine; UC is limited to the colon and rectum

What protective feature does the stomach lining have?

It is lined with mucus to protect tissue.

What happens to undigested material?

It moves into the large intestine to be processed.

What is the primary function of the jejunum?

Absorption of nutrients and some vitamins.

How is the rectum involved in digestion?

It stores and expels feces.

What is the elimination process in the gastrointestinal tract?

The anus is the opening for feces elimination.

What can excessive inflammation in Crohn's Disease lead to?

Increased risk of colon cancer.

Peristalsis

rhythmic smooth muscle contractions of intestine

Duodenum

first part of small intestine where most digestion takes place

peptidase, amylase, sucrase, trypsin, chemotrypsin, lipase roles

peptidase: digest proteins

amylase digests polysaccharides

sucreases: digests sugars

trypsin and chemotrypsin digest protein

lipase digests lipids:

what opens to allow chyme to move from the stomach to the small intestine

pyloric sphincter

role of liver

secretes bile which emulsifies fat droplets

role of pancreas

secretes into the duodenom: chemotrypsin, trypsin to digest proteins and lipase to digest lipids

role of gallbladder

stores and concentrates bile