27.21
Motilidad gástrica
La motilidad gástrica es la contracción y relajación coordinadas de los músculos del estómago que convierten los alimentos ingeridos en quimo, una sus…
La motilidad gástrica es el movimiento coordinado de los músculos y las secreciones del estómago, que impulsa los alimentos y líquidos a través del estómago.
A medida que la comida tragada se mueve hacia el estómago, el nervio vago media la relajación de los músculos lisos del fondo y el cuerpo.
Estos músculos también pueden estirarse para acomodar un volumen de aproximadamente 1,5 L.
Después de la entrada de alimentos, las paredes del estómago producen ondas peristálticas para impulsar el contenido gástrico.
Comienzan cerca del esfínter gastroesofágico y se vuelven más fuertes a medida que avanzan hacia el píloro.
Esto mantiene el contenido en el fondo de ojo y las regiones del cuerpo en gran medida sin mezclar, mientras que las fuertes contracciones en el antro pilórico inferior trituran la comida a fondo.
Las contracciones gástricas mezclan los alimentos parcialmente digeridos con las secreciones gástricas, formando el quimo pulposo.
Las células marcapasos entéricas en el plexo mientérico generan impulsos eléctricos espontáneos, estableciendo el ritmo eléctrico básico.
Estos impulsos se transmiten a través de las uniones de los espacios a través de la pared del estómago, estableciendo el ritmo contráctil de las ondas peristálticas.
View the full transcript and gain access to JoVE Core videos
Q1: What is gastric motility and how does it prepare food for digestion?
Gastric motility is the coordinated movement of stomach muscles that converts ingested food into chyme, a semi-liquid substance. The stomach's peristaltic waves originate near the gastroesophageal sphincter and intensify toward the pylorus, mixing food with gastric secretions. Strong contractions in the pyloric antrum grind food into smaller particles, preparing it for mechanical and chemical digestion in the small intestine.
Q2: How does the vagus nerve control stomach muscle relaxation?
The vagus nerve mediates the relaxation of smooth muscles in the fundus and body of the stomach as swallowed food arrives. This relaxation allows these regions to expand and accommodate approximately 1.5 liters of food and liquid. The vagus nerve essentially prepares the stomach to receive and store ingested material before active mixing begins.
Q3: What role do enteric pacemaker cells play in gastric contractions?
Enteric pacemaker cells, also called interstitial cells of Cajal, are located in the myenteric plexus and generate spontaneous electrical impulses. These impulses establish the stomach's basic electrical rhythm and propagate through gap junctions across the stomach wall. This electrical coordination ensures peristaltic waves occur at regular intervals, enabling effective movement and mixing of stomach contents.
Q4: How do peristaltic waves differ between the fundus and pyloric antrum?
Peristaltic waves originate near the gastroesophageal sphincter and become progressively stronger as they move toward the pylorus. In the fundus and body, contractions are gentler, keeping contents largely unmixed for storage. The pyloric antrum exhibits vigorous, grinding contractions that thoroughly mix food with gastric secretions, transforming it into chyme.
Q5: What is chyme and how is it formed in the stomach?
Chyme is a pulpy, semi-liquid mixture formed when gastric contractions blend partially digested food with gastric secretions. The stomach's mixing waves, particularly strong contractions in the pyloric antrum, grind food into smaller particles and combine them with stomach secretions. This transformation prepares the food for further digestion and absorption in the intestines.
Q6: How do gap junctions contribute to coordinated stomach contractions?
Gap junctions are channels that transmit electrical impulses generated by enteric pacemaker cells across the stomach wall. These connections synchronize the contractile activity of smooth muscle cells throughout the stomach. By allowing electrical signals to propagate uniformly, gap junctions ensure that peristaltic waves occur in a coordinated, rhythmic pattern necessary for effective gastric motility.
Q7: Why is the basic electrical rhythm important for stomach function?
The basic electrical rhythm, established by enteric pacemaker cells, governs the contractile movements of the stomach wall and ensures peristaltic waves occur at regular, predictable intervals. This electrical coordination is essential for effective gastric motility, allowing the stomach to mechanically and chemically prepare food for absorption in the intestines. Without this rhythm, stomach contractions would be uncoordinated and ineffective.