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The gastric glands are glands in the lining of the stomach that play an essential role in the process of digestion. All of the glands have mucus-secreting foveolar cells (also known as surface mucous cells) that line the stomach and partly line the gastric pits, and mucus-secreting mucous neck cells in the necks of the gastric glands. [1]
Alkaline mucus exists in the human eye, stomach, saliva, and cervix. [5] In the stomach, alkaline mucus is secreted by gastric glands in the gastric mucosa of the stomach wall. [6] Secretion of alkaline mucus is necessary to protect the mucous membrane of the stomach from acids released during digestion. [6]
Mucus is made by two types of specialized cells termed mucous cells in the stomach and goblet cells in the intestines. Signals for increased mucus release include parasympathetic innervations, immune system response and enteric nervous system messengers.
Intestinal glands are found in the epithelia of the small intestine, namely the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, and in the large intestine (colon), where they are sometimes called colonic crypts. Intestinal glands of the small intestine contain a base of replicating stem cells , Paneth cells of the innate immune system , and goblet cells , which ...
The mucus is basic, while the stomach acid (A) is acidic. In the human digestive system, mucus is used as a lubricant for materials that must pass over membranes, e.g., food passing down the esophagus. Mucus is extremely important in the gastrointestinal tract. It forms an essential layer in the colon and in the small intestine that helps ...
For decades, it was believed that the main function of the glands is to secrete alkaline (bicarbonate-containing) mucus in order to: [citation needed] protect the duodenum from the acidic content of chyme (which enters the duodenum from the stomach), provide an alkaline environment which promotes the activity of intestinal enzymes,
Invasion of tumours through the layers of the gastrointestinal wall is used in staging of tumour spread. This affects treatment and prognosis. The normal thickness of the small intestinal wall is 3–5 mm, [6] and 1–5 mm in the large intestine. [7] Focal, irregular and asymmetrical gastrointestinal wall thickening suggests a malignancy. [7]
The lower gastrointestinal tract includes most of the small intestine and all of the large intestine. [15] In human anatomy , the intestine ( bowel or gut ; Greek: éntera ) is the segment of the gastrointestinal tract extending from the pyloric sphincter of the stomach to the anus and as in other mammals, consists of two segments: the small ...