GIT SYSTEM

Prepared by Dr. Zeeshan AHMED (Ph.D., MS, MBA, Pharm.D)

Assistant Professor
Ph.D (University of Paris Saclay, France)
MS (University of Paris Est, France)
MBA (University of Sindh)
Pharm.D (University of Sindh)
 Key points

01 Introduction,

02 GIT
Introduction
This topic covers the structure and function of the stomach, small and large intest
ines, and other tissues important for digestion: the liver, pancreas and gall bladder
. After following this topic you should know how the structure of the stomach, sm
all and large intestine varies, and how this is related to function, the roles of the li
ver, pancreas and gall bladder in digestion, and how their structure is related to fu
nction.
Objectives
After following this topic you should know:
How the basic arrangement of the tissue in the walls of the digestive tract varies in response to
the differing functions of the different parts of the tract.
The relationship between structure and function for the different layers of the GI tract, mucosa,
submucosa and muscularis externa, and their arrangement in each part of the alimentary tract: s
tomach, small and large intestines, and the appendix.
The structure and function of glands associated with the digestive tract: liver, gall bladder an
d pancreas.
How to recognize and describe the histological structure and function of liver lobules, and what
the relationship is, within liver lobules, between hepatocytes, spaces of Disse, sinusoid lining c
ells and sinusoids.
The stomach has three anatomical regions:
1. Cardiac, which contains mucous secreting
glands (called cardiac glands) and is close
st to the oesophagus
2. Fundus, the body or largest part of the sto
mach which contain the gastric (fundic) gl
ands
3. Pyloric, which secretes two types of mucu
s, and the hormone gastrin.
Compare the glands present in these three regi
ons.
The pyloric region ends at the pyloric sphincte
r. This sphincter relaxes when the formation o
f chyme is completed, and the chyme is squirt
ed into the duodenum.
Layers of the stomach
• This shows an image through the wall of the bod
y of the stomach at low power. You should be abl
e to identify the three major layers seen here - th
e mucosa, submucosa and muscularis externa.
• The mucosa is full of gastric glands and pits, and
there is a prominent layer of smooth muscle - the
muscularis mucosa. The contraction of this musc
le helps to expel the contents of the gastric gland
s.
• The muscularis externa layer has three layers of
muscle. An innner oblique layer , a middle circul
ar and an external longitudinal layer. The contrac
tion of these muscle layers help to break up the f
ood mechanically.
SMALL INTENSTINE
• The main functions of the small intestine are digestion, absorption of f
ood and production of gastrointestinal hormones. The small intestine i
s 4-6 metres long in humans. To aid in digestion and absorption:
• the small intestine secretes enzymes and has mucous producing glan
ds. The pancreas and liver also deliver their exocrine secretions into th
e duodenum.
• The mucosa is highly folded.
– large circular folds called plicae circulares (shown in the diagra
m to the right), most numerous in the upper part of the small intes
tine
– smaller folds called villi, which are finger like mucosal projectio
ns, about 1mm long.
– the lining columnar epithelial cells have fine projections on their
apical surfaces called microvilli.
MUCOSA
• On this magnified image of t
he mucosa of the small intest
ine, identify: villi, crypts of L
ieberkuhn (L), muscularis mu
cosa, lamina propria and lym
phoid aggregations.
Epithelium and Villi
• The epithelium of the villi is made up o
f tall columnar absorptive cells called e
nterocytes, and goblet cells, which sec
rete mucin, for lubrication of the intesti
nal contents, and protection of the epith
elium.
• This shows the epithelium of part of a
villus at high magnification. You shoul
d be able to identify goblet cells, and e
nterocytes, and notice the 'brush border' This picture shows a TEM of an enterocyte, sh
on the apical surface of the enterocytes, owing the villi on the apical surface of the cell
which is due to the microvilli.
Duodenum
• The first part of the small intestine is the duodenum, and its st
ructure is similar to that seen elsewhere in the small intestine,
with some differences. The villi are broader, Peyers Patches ar
e less common, and it has one unique feature: Brunner's glan
ds, which are found in the sub-mucosa.
• The duodenum is often mistaken for the small intestine, so tak
e a moment to compare this section to that of the small intestin
e in the picture above. Make sure you can distinguish correctly
between the two, and identify Brunner's glands correctly.
• Both Brunner's glands, and the goblet cells in the duodenum s
ecrete mucus. The mucus secreted by Brunner's glands is alkal Look at this picture of a section throug
ine, and helps to neutralise the acid chyme produced by the sto h the human duodenum. Identify villi,
crypts, muscularis mucosae, mucosa, m
mach, to produce chyme with a pH suitable for the digestive e
uscularis externa and Brunner's glands.
nzymes of the small intestine.
Appendix
• This is a photomicrograph of the human appendix.
• The arrangement of the layers in its walls is similar to th
at seen elsewhere in the large intestine. However, the out
er layer of muscle fibres in the muscularis externa form
s a continuous layer.
• The most characteristic property of the appendix is the p
resence of masses of lymphoid tissue in the mucosa an
d submucosa. There are often follicles containing paler
germinal centres similar to the follicles of Peyers patches
in the small intestine.
• Can you identify the layers (epithelium, mucosa, submuc
osa, muscularis externa) and the aggregations of lymphoi
d tissue?
Large Intestine
• The large intestine completes absorption, and retrieves water and s
odium from the luminal contents which become fecal residue. It se
cretes large amounts of mucus, and some hormones, but no digesti
ve enzymes.
• The thick mucosa has deep crypts, but there are no villi. The epith
elium is formed of columnar absorptive cells with a striated bord
er, many goblet cells, endocrine cells and basal stem cells, but no
Paneth cells. The surface epithelial cells are sloughed into the lum
en, and have to be replaced around every 6 days.
• The lamina propria and submucosa are similar to the small intes
tine.
This is a low power image of th
• The longitudinal smooth muscle in the muscularis externa is arr e colon. Can you can identify th
anged in three longitudinal bands called taenia coli. At the anus, t e mucosa, submucosa and mus
he circular muscle forms the internal anal sphincter. cularis externa.
LIVER
• The liver has a thin capsul
e of dense connective tissu
e, and a visceral (inferior) l
ayer of peritoneal mesothel
ium, and is divided into lef
t and right lobes.

This shows a section through a pig liver, which

has clear liver lobules. Can you identify lobules
, the central vein, supporting connective tissu
e and portal tracts
PANCREAS
• The pancreas is the main enzyme producing accessory gland of the digestive system. It has
both exocrine and endocrine functions.
Exocrine Pancreas
• The exocrine part of the pancreas has closely packed serous acini, similar to those of the d
igestive glands. It secretes an enzyme rich alkaline fluid into the duodenum via the pancr
eatic duct. The alkaline pH is due to the presence of bicarbonate ions, and helps to neutral
ise the acid chyme from the stomach, as it enters the duodenum. The enzymes digest protei
ns, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids. These enzymes include: trypsin and chymotryp
sin (secreted as inactive precursors, and activated by the action of enterokinase, an enzyme
secreted by the duodenal mucosa). An enzyme called CCK stimulates the release of these e
nzymes, from stored granules in the secretory cells of the acini. Secretin (from neuroendoc
rine cells in the small intestine) stimulate the release of watery alkaline secretions.
Endocrine Pancreas
The islets of Langerhans are clumps of secretory cells (up to around 3000) supported by retic
ulin fibres, and containing numerous fenestrated capillaries. There is a delicate capsule around
each islet. They are paler than the surrounding exocrine cells, as they have less rER. These isl
ets do not have an acinar organisation.
The islet cells are indistinguishable from each other in sections, but in fact three secretory cell
s types are present:
1. alpha - secrete glucagon,
2. beta - secrete insulin
3. delta - secrete somatostatin
The islets are supplied by up to three arterioles, which form a branching network of fenestrate
d capillaries, into which the hormones are secreted. The islet is drained by about six venules,
which pass between the exocrine acini to the interlobular veins.
GALL BLADDER
• The gall bladder is a simple muscular sac, lined by a simple columnar epith
elium. It receives and stores bile from the liver via the hepatic and then cyst
ic duct, and can store about 50 to 100ml in humans. It is attached to the vis
ceral layer of the liver.
• The gall bladder is stimulated to contract and expel the bile into the duoden
um, by the hormone cholecytoskinin pancreozymin (CCK) produced by the
endocrine cells of the duodenal mucosa. The production of this enzyme is s
timulated by the presence of fat in the proximal duodenum. The contraction
s expel bile into the common bile duct, and the bile is then carried to the du
odenum.
The inner surface of the gall bladder is covered by the mucosa. The surface is made up of a sim
ple columnar epithelium. The epithelial cells have microvilli, and look like absorptive cells in t
he intestine. Underneath the epithelium is the lamina propria. The wall of the bladder does no
t have a muscularis mucosae and submucosa.
The muscularis externa (muscle layer) contains bundles of smooth muscle cells, collagen and e
lastic fibres. Underneath this, on the outside of the gall bladder is a thick layer of connective tis
sue, which contains large blood vessels, nerves and a lymphatic network. Where this layer is att
ached to the liver, it is called the adventia. In the unattached region, there is an outer layer of m
esothelium and loose connective tissue (the serosa).
 Organ system: Intestine – Large (Cecum, Colon, Rectum & Anus)
•

LAB PERFORMANCE
Human Large Intestine T.S.
• Human Rectum T.S.
• Human Intestine T.S.
Organ system: Intestine - Small (Duodenum, Jejunum & Ileum)
• Human Small Intestine T.S.
• Human Ileum T.S.
• Human Duodenum T.S.
• Human Jejunum T.S.
• Human Villi T.S.
Organ system: Stomach, Spleen and Appendix
• Human Stomach Fundus L.S.
• Human stomach Pyloric T.S.
• Human Stomach T.S.
• Human Appendix T.S.
• Human Esophagus T.S.
Organ system: Liver, Pancreas and Gall bladder
• Human Liver L.S.
• Human Spleen T.S.
• Human Pancreas T.S. & L.S.
• Human Gall bladder T. S.
Thanks