Question

Digestive System

Discussion Assignment:

1. Describe the functions of the following components of gastric juice: Hydrochloric acid, Pepsinogen, Pepsin, Intrinsic factor.
2. Why don't the components of gastric juice damage the wall of the stomach in the absence of a H. pylori infection?
3. Why don't most other types of bacteria produce ulcers?

Case Study

Roger, a sixty-four year old retail store manager, had recently been waking up in the middle of the night and experiencing during the middle of the day abdominal pain. This was happening on a regular basis. He decided to consult a physician.

The doctor noted that Roger seemed fine other than his stomach discomfort.

Roger was referred to a specialist in internal medicine and had a procedure called an endoscopy. The endoscopy was performed at a hospital. During the procedure, a long, thin tube was inserted into Rogers's mouth and directed into his digestive tract. The end of the tube was equipped with a light source and a small camera which allowed the doctor to observe the interior of Roger's stomach. The endoscope was also equipped with a small claw-like structure that the doctor could use in order to obtain a small tissue sample from the lining of Roger's stomach, if needed.

The endoscopy revealed that Roger had a peptic ulcer. Analysis of a tissue sample taken from the site showed that Roger had an infection that was caused by Helicobacter pylori bacteria. Roger was given prescriptions for two different antibiotics and a medication that would decrease the secretion of stomach acid. Roger scheduled a return appointment for another endoscopy procedure in 6 months.

Answer 1

1. Role of hydrochloric acid in 5he stomach

Hydrochloric acid helps to break down, digest, and absorb nutrients such as protein in digestion of the food It also eliminates bacteria and viruses in the stomach, protecting your body from infection.

Hydrochloric acid helps break down proteins, allows to absorb certain nutrients and kills off foreign particles like bacteria and viruses that can leads to infection..

Hydrochloric acid is the main component of the gastric juices produced in the stomach and it maintains the stomach pH of 1 to 2 by acidifying the stomach contents.

Presence of hydrochloric acid in gastric acid produced by the stomach prevents anemia, osteoporosis, nerve disorders, yeast infections, hair loss in women and many more illnesses. Too much acid in stomach is also harmful and leads to stomach ulcers.

Pepsin is an enzyme that is secreted by chief wall of the stomach.this is the main enzyme for digestion of the protein.it is convert protein molecules in the amino acid so it's work with combined chymotrypsin and trypsin.

Pepsinogen is zygogen of pepsin which activated bye hydrochloric acid and it's secreted by parietal cells of stomach wall.

The hormone gastrin and the vagus nerve trigger the release of both pepsinogen and HCl from the stomach lining.Hydrochloric acid creates an acidic environment, which allows pepsinogen to unfold and cleave itself in an autocatalytic thereby generating pepsin.

Intrinsic factors like glycoprotein that secret by parietal lining of the stomach and it's mainly helps to prevent the vitamin B12 deficiency anemia it's called pernicious anemia. Because in lack of intrinsic factor it's leads to that disease condition.

2.In our stomach, mucus forms a layer between the deadly gastric juices and the lining of the stomach walls. This mucus lining prevents the acid present in the gastric juices from damaging the stomach.

This wall created by the mucus layer is called the mucus membrane. It behaves like an acid-proof that the stomach uses to save itself from getting burnt while using harmful acids.

3.All kind of bacteria can not cause peptic ulcer because it's killed by acids of stomach but H.pylori bacteria can survive in strong acidic medium also and it's having enzyme that neutralise the acid and it's starting to damage the lining of the stomach and produce the ulcers