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6022 EXAM 3 Questions and Correct
Answers/ Latest Update / Already Graded
Understand the basic organization of the GI tract
Ans: Mouth-> Pharynx -> Esophagus -> Stomach -> Small
Intestine-> Large intestine-> Rectum-> Anus
Motility
Ans: Peristalsis propels; segmentation mixes
Secretion
Ans: Salivary glands, liver/gallbladder, pancreas
Digestion/Absorption
Ans: Breaking down food and taking in nutrients;
predominantly in the small intestine
Defense
Ans: Mucosal barrier and microbiome
Elimination
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
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Ans: Large intestine and rectum
Control of digestion: ENS +autonomic overview
Ans: Enteric nervous system integrates activity;
parasympathetic (vagal/ACh) increases motility and secretions;
sympathetic (NE) decreases motility/secretions and increases
sphincter tone
Control of digestion: Voluntary vs Involuntary actions
Ans: Voluntary: Chewing, initiating swallow, and external anal
sphincter control during defecation.
Involuntary Reflexes: Peristalsis, digestion, absorption
(controlled by autonomic nervous system and hormones).
Pharyngeal and esophageal phases of swallow; recto -anal
inhibitory/defecation reflex.
Gastric hydrochloric acid
Ans: Secreted by Parietal cells. Acidifies the stomach to unfold
proteins and convert pepsinogen-> pepsin (starting protein
digestion); helps kill ingested microbes and improves iron
solubility for absorption.
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
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Gastric Lipase
Ans: Secreted by Chief cells. Initiates lipid digestion
Mucus
Ans: Mucus + Bicarbonate: Secreted by surface mucus cells.
Forms the mucosal barrier (prostaglandin support; NSAIDS
impair thus increasing ulcer risk)
Intrinsic factor
Ans: Secreted by Parietal cells. Required for Vitamin B12
absorption in the terminal ileum.
Understand how fats are digested and absorbed
Ans: Bile salts emulsify fats into droplets. Pancreatic lipase
then breaks triglycerides into free fatty acids and
monoglycerides. These join bile salts to form micelles, which
carry lipids to the brush border. Inside the enterocyte, lipids are
reassembled, packaged into chylomicrons, and released into
lacteals for transport.
Understand how carbohydrates are digested and absorbed
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Ans: Digestion starts with salivary amylase in the mouth,
pauses in the stomach, and resumes with pancreatic amylase in
the duodenum. Final steps happen at the brush border —lactase,
sucrase, and maltase convert sugars into monosaccharides like
glucose, galactose, and fructose for absorption.
Understand how proteins are digested and absorbed
Ans: Pepsin begins the process in the stomach, but most
protein digestion happens here. Pancreatic enzymes like trypsin
and chymotrypsin break proteins into peptides, then brush-
border peptidases finish the job. The result is amino acids and
small peptides ready for uptake.
Describe the functional unit of the small intestines and how it aids in
digestion and absorption
Ans: Contains Duodenum, Jejunum, and Ileum. Designed for
absorption. Contain Villus which are fingerlike projections that
are covered in columnar cells with microvilli that form the brush
border. Together, Villi and microvilli create a massive surface
area for absorption. Inside each Villus are capillaries for
sugars/amino acids and a central lymphatic channel, or lacteal,
for fats.
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
6022 EXAM 3 Questions and Correct
Answers/ Latest Update / Already Graded
Understand the basic organization of the GI tract
Ans: Mouth-> Pharynx -> Esophagus -> Stomach -> Small
Intestine-> Large intestine-> Rectum-> Anus
Motility
Ans: Peristalsis propels; segmentation mixes
Secretion
Ans: Salivary glands, liver/gallbladder, pancreas
Digestion/Absorption
Ans: Breaking down food and taking in nutrients;
predominantly in the small intestine
Defense
Ans: Mucosal barrier and microbiome
Elimination
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
, Page |2
Ans: Large intestine and rectum
Control of digestion: ENS +autonomic overview
Ans: Enteric nervous system integrates activity;
parasympathetic (vagal/ACh) increases motility and secretions;
sympathetic (NE) decreases motility/secretions and increases
sphincter tone
Control of digestion: Voluntary vs Involuntary actions
Ans: Voluntary: Chewing, initiating swallow, and external anal
sphincter control during defecation.
Involuntary Reflexes: Peristalsis, digestion, absorption
(controlled by autonomic nervous system and hormones).
Pharyngeal and esophageal phases of swallow; recto -anal
inhibitory/defecation reflex.
Gastric hydrochloric acid
Ans: Secreted by Parietal cells. Acidifies the stomach to unfold
proteins and convert pepsinogen-> pepsin (starting protein
digestion); helps kill ingested microbes and improves iron
solubility for absorption.
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
, Page |3
Gastric Lipase
Ans: Secreted by Chief cells. Initiates lipid digestion
Mucus
Ans: Mucus + Bicarbonate: Secreted by surface mucus cells.
Forms the mucosal barrier (prostaglandin support; NSAIDS
impair thus increasing ulcer risk)
Intrinsic factor
Ans: Secreted by Parietal cells. Required for Vitamin B12
absorption in the terminal ileum.
Understand how fats are digested and absorbed
Ans: Bile salts emulsify fats into droplets. Pancreatic lipase
then breaks triglycerides into free fatty acids and
monoglycerides. These join bile salts to form micelles, which
carry lipids to the brush border. Inside the enterocyte, lipids are
reassembled, packaged into chylomicrons, and released into
lacteals for transport.
Understand how carbohydrates are digested and absorbed
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
, Page |4
Ans: Digestion starts with salivary amylase in the mouth,
pauses in the stomach, and resumes with pancreatic amylase in
the duodenum. Final steps happen at the brush border —lactase,
sucrase, and maltase convert sugars into monosaccharides like
glucose, galactose, and fructose for absorption.
Understand how proteins are digested and absorbed
Ans: Pepsin begins the process in the stomach, but most
protein digestion happens here. Pancreatic enzymes like trypsin
and chymotrypsin break proteins into peptides, then brush-
border peptidases finish the job. The result is amino acids and
small peptides ready for uptake.
Describe the functional unit of the small intestines and how it aids in
digestion and absorption
Ans: Contains Duodenum, Jejunum, and Ileum. Designed for
absorption. Contain Villus which are fingerlike projections that
are covered in columnar cells with microvilli that form the brush
border. Together, Villi and microvilli create a massive surface
area for absorption. Inside each Villus are capillaries for
sugars/amino acids and a central lymphatic channel, or lacteal,
for fats.
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
