Physiology of the Gastrointestinal Tract

Protein Digestion and Absorption

47.1 An Overview of Protein Digestion and Absorption Amino acids constitute an important class of nutrients obligatory for normal function and survival of mammalian cells. These amino acids are classified as essential and nonessential purely based on whether or not…

Sugar Absorption

Acknowledgments We are indebted to our colleagues and collaborators who have made major contributions to our research on SGLTs, and grants from the National Institutes of Health that provided financial support. As in animals, humans need to eat, digest, and…

Physiology of Cholngiocytes

Cholangiocytes are epithelial cells that line the biliary tree, a complex, three-dimensional network of interconnecting intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts. The main physiologic function of cholangiocytes is the modification of the bile within the ductal lumen via coordinated bidirectional vectorial…

Mechanisms of Hepatocyte Detoxification

43.1 Introduction 43.1.1 Liver Anatomy and Function The cell types within the liver consist of hepatocytes, biliary epithelial cells, sinusoidal-lining cells (Kupffer cells and endothelial cells), stellate cells (formerly known as Ito cells), and cells involved in the immune response.…

Regulation of Pancreatic Secretion

Pancreatic secretion is regulated by highly integrated neural and hormonal influences that involve the brain, enteric nervous system, and gastrointestinal tract. Although these processes are complex they illustrate the finely regulated nature that is needed for maintaining sufficient secretion of…