GI Tract Anatomy and Accessory Organs - Anatomy and Physiology
- Which two veins join to form the hepatic portal vein?
- The superior mesenteric vein and the splenic vein.
- What are the four layers of the GI tract wall, from the lumen outward?
- Mucosa, submucosa, muscularis externa, and serosa (an adventitia replaces the serosa in most of the esophagus).
- Which gastric gland cells secrete hydrochloric acid and intrinsic factor?
- Parietal cells.
- Which organ stores and concentrates bile between meals?
- The gallbladder. The liver produces the bile.
- What extra muscle layer does the stomach's muscularis externa have that most of the GI tract lacks?
- An inner oblique layer, in addition to the circular and longitudinal layers, which helps churn food.
- Which part of the large intestine is its first portion, with the appendix attached?
- The cecum.
- Which region of the stomach connects to the duodenum?
- The pylorus, which ends at the pyloric sphincter.
- What are the segments of the colon, in order?
- Ascending, transverse, descending, and sigmoid colon.
- Which mostly retroperitoneal organ lies posterior to the stomach and has both exocrine and endocrine functions?
- The pancreas.
- What are the three segments of the small intestine, in order from the stomach?
- Duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.
- The common bile duct joins the main pancreatic duct to form which structure that empties into the duodenum?
- The hepatopancreatic ampulla (ampulla of Vater), guarded by the hepatopancreatic sphincter (sphincter of Oddi).
- Which three structures increase the absorptive surface area of the small intestine, from largest to smallest?
- Circular folds (plicae circulares), villi, and microvilli.