BIOCHEMISTRY OF DIGESTIVE

TRACT

DR.SAMIRA TARIQ
 INTRODUCTION
DIGESTION
• It is the process or act of converting food in to
chemical substances that can be absorbed and
assimilated. OR
• It is a process involving the hydrolysis of large
and complex organic molecules of food stuffs
into smaller and preferably water soluble
molecules which can be easily absorbed by
the gastrointestinal tract for utilization by the
organism.
 ABSORBTION
• The uptake of substance into or across tissues
is known as absorption.
• Digestion is accomplished with the aid of
enzymes.
• Vitamins and minerals are also made more
digest able.
• Secretory and motor activity regulate by
hormones.
 Digestion begins in the oral cavity
• SALIVA
• Secreted by three pair of glands
• Parotid gland ------------watery, amylase.
• Sub maxillary--------------serous,mucin
• Sublingual-----------------viscous(mucoprotien)
• Other gland------------mucus
 CHARACTERISTICS
• COMPOSITION;
• 99.5% water
• Organic constituents mainly amylase and lipase.
• Inorganic constituents ,Na,K,Ca,Mg,Cl,HCO3,

• VOLUME;
• 20ml/hr.
• 1000-1500ml/24hr.
• Increase at meal time.
• SPECIFIC GRAVITY;
b/w 1.002 and 1.008

• PH 6.4 to 6.9
• Alkaline PH favors tartar
• FUNCTION OF SALIVA

• Lubricant
• Antibacterial action
• Digestion
• Excretion
• Stimulating(appetizer)
• Regulation water balance.
 STOMACH
GASTRIC JUICE:
SITE:
• CHIEF OR ZYMOGEN CELL ______PEPSINOGEN
• PARIETAL OR OXYNTIC CELL_________ HCL
• MUSCUS CELL __________MUCIN
 COMPOSITION:
• IN ORGANIC

• ORGANIC (MUCIN, PEPSIN , LIPASE, I.F)

 PH:
• 1.3 __________ 2.6

VOLUME:
2-3 lit/day
 REGULATION OF HCL
• ALKALINE TIDE:
• AUTOCATALYSIS;

• REGULATION:
BY NEURAL AND HUMORAL
 DIGESTION
DIGESTION OF CHO: ONLY HYDROLYSIS OF
SUCROSE
DIGESTION OF LIPID: G.L
SHORT,MEDIUM+UNSATURATED LONG F.A__F.F.A+
1,2-DIACYLGLYCEROL
DIGESTION OF PROTEIN:
PROTEIN _________POLY PEPTIDE +A.A
 PANCREATIC JUICE
• IT IS CLEAR WATERY SOLUTION
COMPOSITION: 90.5% WATER, ORGANIC
(MAINLY ENZYMES) AND INORGANIC
C0NSTITUENTS
• Na+, K+,HCO₃⁻ CL⁻,Ca++,SO₂⁻
• ENZYMES;
• CARBOXY PEPTIDASE
• ELASTASE
• COLLAGENASE
• TRYPSIN
• CHMOTRYPSIN
• P.LIPASE
• P.AMYLASE
• DNA_ ASE
• RNA_ASE
• PHOSPHOLIPASE
• CHOLESTROL ESTER HYDROLASE
PH: 7.5-8.0 OR 8.3
VOLUME: 1.2 TO 1.4 l/day
 ENZYMES
1. TRYPSIN: TRYPSINOGEN ENTEROKINASE
TRYPSIN

• OPTIMUM PH - 8.0 - 9.0

• PROTEIN TRYPSIN POLYPEPTIDE+PEPTIDES
• FOR BASIC AMINOACID.
• IT ACTIVATE CHYMOTRYSINOGEN,
PROELASTASE AND PROCARBOXY PEPTIDASE
2. CHYMOTRYPSIN :
• ACTIVATE BY TRYPSIN -ENDO PEPTIDASE
OPTIMUM PH IS 8.0-9.O
• CLOTTING OF MILK
• FOR A.A.A
3. CARBOXY PEPTIDASE: (Zn PROTEASE)
• ACTIVATED BY TRYPSIN
• EXOPEPTIDASE (HYDROLYSED CARBOXY-
TERMINALS 0F PEPTIDE BONDS)
4. ELASTASE:
• ACTIVATED BY TRYPSIN
• HYDROLYZED OTHER PROTEINS.
5. PANCREATIC LIPASE:
• COLIPASE: BINDS TO BILE SALTS /
TRIACYLGLYCEROL / WATER INTERFACE
PROVIDING A HIGH EFFINITY ANCHOR FOR
LIPASE.
• IT IS SPECIFIED FOR PRIMARY ESTER LINKAGES i.e.
AT POSITION 1-3 OF TRIACYLGLYCEROLS THE END
RESULT ARE MAINLY DIGLYCERIDES,
MONOGLYCERIDES AND FATTY ACIDS _______ PH
IS 8.2 T0 9.2
6. PANCREATIC AMYLASE :
• SIMILAR ACTION AS SALIVARY AMYLASE.
ACTIVATED BY CL⁻.
• IT IS HYDROLYSING STARCH AND GLYCOGEN TO
MALTOSE, MALTOTRIOSE, OLIGO SACCHARIDES
AND SOME GLUCOSE.
PH _________ 6.5 TO 7.2
7. PHOSPHOLIPASE A, :
• ACTIVATED BY TRYPSIN
• THIS HYDROLYZES THE ESTER BOND IN THE 2-
POSITION OF
• GLYCEROPHOSPHOLIPIDS___LYSOPHOSPHOLIPID
Ca++
8. CHOLESTERYL ESTER HYDROLASE
(CHOLESTEROL ESTERASE):
• IT HYDROLYSED CHOLESTERYL
ESTERS____CHOLESTROL+ FATTY ACIDS
9. RIBONUCLEASE AND DEOXYRIBONUCLEASE
• ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HYDROLYSIS OF
NUCLEIC ACIDS.
 REGULATION OF SECRETION OF
PANCREATIC JUICE

NERVOUS MECHASIM HUMORAL REGULATION

• PARASYMPATHETIC SECRETIN, CCK-Pz

• SYMPATHETIC GASTRIN
• LOCAL REFLUX PATHWAY GLUCAGON
 BILE
• SECRETED BY LIVER AND STORED IN
GALL BLADDER
• ON CONTRACTION OF GALL BLADDER BILE
ENTERED INTO DUODENUM
• GALL BLADDER BILE IS MORE CONCENTRATED
THAN HEPATIC BILE
• BOTH CONTAIN 75% OF ORGANIC
COMPOUNDS AND 25% OF INORGANIC
COMPOUNDS
• THE PH OF HEPATIC BILE IS 7.1-7.3
• THE PH OF GALL BLADDER BILE IS 6.4-7.7
• THE VOLUME OF HEPATIC BILE IS 500-1100ml
• THE VOLUME OF GALL BLADDER IS 50ml
 CONSTITUENTS OF BILE
1. BILE ACIDS:
CHOLIC ACID AND CHENODEOXYCHOLIC ACID

CONJUGATES ē GLYCINE AND TAURINE

3.2 : 1
GLYCOCHOLIC ACID GLYCOCHENODEOXYCHOLIC A.
TAURO (C.A.) TAURO CHENODEOXY (C.A)
• ACTIVE FORMS OF BILE ACIDS SECRETED INTO
BILE
• COMBINE WITH SODIUM TO FORM PRIMARY
BILE SALTS
• 85 TO 90% OF PRIMARY BILE SALTS ARE
REABSORBED FROM ILEUM AND COLON INTO
THE PORTAL BLOOD
• 15% PRIMARY BILE SALTS ARE CONVERTED
INTO DEOXYCHOLATE AND LITHOCHOLATE BY
INTESTANIAL BACTERIA
 FUNCTION OF BILE SALT
• EMULCIFICATION OF FATS BY DECREASES THE
SURFACE TENSION THEREFORE INCREASES
SURFACE AREA FOR ATTACKING PANCREATIC
LIPASE
• INCREASE THE INTESTINAL ABSORBTION OF
CHOLESTROL AND DECREASES THE HEPATIC
SYNTHESIS OF CHOLESTROL
• FORM MICELLES. (ē THE PRESENCE OF
LECITHIN)
2. BILE PIGMENTS
• BILIRUBRIN, BILIVERDIN PRESENTED AS
CONJUGATED ē GLUCURONIC ACID
3. CHOLESTROL:
• 1TO 2 gms/ day EXCRETED IN BILE
NORMALLY,THE CHOLESTROL: BILE SALT RATIO
I : 20 OR 30
IF ITS RATIO FALLS I : 13 THE CHOLESTROL GETS
PRECIPATED
4. ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE

• INCREASE SERUM LEVEL INDICATE

OBSTRUCTION TO BILIARY FLOW WHICH
MAY BE INTRAHEPATIC OR EXTRAHEPATIC
 FUNCTION OF BILE
• EMULCIFICATION
• DIGESTION
• EXCRETION
 CHOLERETICS
• BILE ACIDS
• INJESTION OF FOODS
• HEPATOCRINNIN, SECRETIN, CCK-PZ, GASTRIN
• VAGUS NERVE
 SMALL INTESTINE
• INTESTINAL JUICE ;HCO₃⁻ + MUCUS
(INORGANIC + ORGANIC)
• TWO TYPES OF GLAND.
BRUNNER’S GLAND & CRYPTS OF LIBERKUHN.
• PH = 8.3
 ENZYMES OF INTESTINAL JUICES:
• ENTEROKINASE
• AMINOPEPTIDASE
• DIPEPTIDASE AND TRIPEPTIDASE
• DEXTRINASE
• DIASACCHARIDASE ̨3,
• INTESTINAL AMYLASE
• PHOSPHOLIPASE
• POLYNUCLEOTIDASE, NUCLEOTIDASE +
NUCLEOSIDASE
ABSORPTION OF CARBOHYDRATES
• GLUCOSE+GALACTOSE_Na⁺___ ACTIVE
TRANSPORT
• FRUCTOSE+MANNOSE____ FACILITATED
DIFFUSION
• PENTOSE,L -ISOMERS OF GLUCOSE,GALACTOSE
BY SIMPLE DIFFUSION
• GLUCOSE TRANSPORTERS T₁ ___T₇
• GLU T₂ ARE PRESENT IN INTESTINAL CELL
• GLU T₄ ARE PRESENT IN MUSCLES AND
ADIPOSE TISSUE(INSULIN DEPENDENT)
 ABSORPTION OF AMINO ACID
• L-ISOMERS OF A.A + L.PEPTIDES___ BY ACTIVE
TRANSPORT

• D-AMINO ACID __SIMPLE PASSIVE DIFFUSION

• γ-GLUTAMYL CYCLE
 ABSORPTION OF LIPID
• MICELLES
FATTY ACID + MONOGLYCERIDES BY PASSIVE DIFFUSION
• IN MUCOSAL CELLS
TRIGLYCERIDES ,PHOSPHOLIPID+CHOLESTROL ARE ABSORBED BY
CHYLOMICRON
80% _____ 90% ABSORPED
5______ 10% PASSOUT
• UN ABSORPED CHOLESTROL ESTER ATTACKED BY INTESTINAL
BACTERIA TO FORM:
• CHOLESTANOL
• COPROSTANOL
• CHOLESTANONE
• 7-DEHYDROCHOLESTROL
 MICELLES

• Micelles are lipid molecules that arrange

themselves in a spherical form in aqueous
solutions. The formation of a micelle is a
response to the amphipathic nature of fatty
acids, meaning that they contain both
hydrophilic regions (polar head groups) as well
as hydrophobic regions (the long hydrophobic
chain).
 CHYLOMICRONS

• Chylomicrons (from the Greek chylø, meaning

juice or milky fluid, and micron, meaning small
particle) are lipoprotein particles that consist
of triglycerides (85–92%), phospholipids (6–
12%), cholesterol (1–3%), and proteins (1–
2%). They transport dietary lipids from the
intestines to other locations in the body.
 LARGE INTESTINE
• PH = 8.0

FUNCTION
• 2000 ml WATER + NaCl ABSORBED
• INTESTINAL FLORA VIT B COMPLEX +VIT K
FERMENTATION
PUTREFACTION
 FERMENTATION
• THE AN AEROBIC ENZYMATIC CONVERSION OF
ORGANIC COMPOUND, ESPECIALLY
CARBOHYDRATE , TO SIMPLE COMPOUNDS
(ETHYL ALCOHAL) RESULTING IN ENERGY IN
THE FORM OF ATP
• FERMENTATION WIDELY OCCUR IN BACTERIA
AND YEAST
• THE PRODUCT WHICH FORM AS RESULT ARE
ACETIC ACID, BUTYRIC ACID, LACTIC ACID
 PUTREFACTION
• ENZYMATIC DECOMPOSITION ESPECIALLY OF
PROTEINS, WITH THE PRODUCTION OF FOUEL
SMELLING COMPOUNDS SUCH AS H₂S, NH₃
AND MERCAPTAN.
 SITE OF ABSORPTION OF NUTRIENTS
• JEJUNUM: GLUCOSE AND OTHER
MONOSACCHARIDES,SOME DISACCHARIDES.
MONOACYLGLYCEROLS, FATTY
ACIDS,GLYCEROL,CHOLESTROL,AMINO
ACIDS,PEPTIDES,VITAMINS,FOLATE,ELECTROLY
-TES,IRON,CALCIUM,WATER
• ILEUM: BILE ACIDS
VITAMIN B₁₂
ELECTROLYTES
WATER
 BIOMEDICAL IMPORTANCE
• IF THERE IS ANY DEFECT SOME CLINICAL
CONDITION ARISE
DISORDER CAUSES
• ULCERATION INCREASE HCL
• ACHLORHYDRIA ABSENCE OF HCL
• GALL STONE DEFECT OF BILE SECRETION
(CHOLELITHIASIS)
• CYSTIC FIBROSIS EXO-PANCREATIC INSUFFICIENCY
• (STEATORRHEA) (DEFECTIVE LIPID ABSORPTION)
MILK OR LACTOSE DEFICIENCY OF LACTASE
NUTRITIONAL DEFIENCY DUE TO MALABSORPTION

• ANEMIA DEFICIENCY OF VITAMINB₁₂+FOLATE

• T ETANY DEFECT IN Ca + Mg
• RICKETS AND VIT D
OSTEOMALACIA
 HARTNUP DISEASE DEFECT IN ABSORPTION OF
NEUTRAL A.A
 GASTROINTESTINAL HORMONE
ARMONE LOCATION MAJOR ACTION
ASTRIN GASTRIC •GASTRIC ACID+PEPSIN SECRETION
ANTRUM •INCREASE SECRETION OF INTRINS
AND FACTORS
DUODENUM•INCREASE MOTALITY OF STOMACH
HOLECYSTOKI- DUODENUM•PANCREATIC AMYLASE SECRETION
N + •INCREASE THE MOTOR ACTIVITY O
NCREAOZYMI JEJUNEUM STOMACH
•INCREASE THE SECRETION OF
BRUNNER’S GLAND
CRETIN DUODENUM •INCREASE PANCREATIC HCO₃⁻
+ (DECREASE HCL AND G.MOTALITY)
JEJUNUM •INCREASE HEPATIC BILE