SnapShot: Hormones of the Gastrointestinal Tract

SnapShot: Hormones of the Gastrointestinal Tract

Specialized endocrine cells secrete a variety of peptide hormones all along the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, making it one of the largest endocrine organs in the body. Nutrients and developmental and neural cues trigger the secretion of gastrointestinal (GI) hormones from specialized endocrine cells along the GI tract. These hormones act in target tissues to facilitate digestion and regulate en...

SnapShot: GI Tract Development

The endoderm germ layer contributes to the respiratory and gastrointestinal (GI) lineages during development, giving rise to an array of specialized epithelial cell types lining organs, including the thyroid, thymus, lungs, liver, biliary system, pancreas, and intestines. This SnapShot timelines and summarizes key stages following gastrulation, including endoderm patterning, organ specification...

The Gastrointestinal Tract

THE ESOPHAGUS Anatomy Congenital Disorders Tracheoesophageal Fistula Rings and Webs Esophageal Diverticula Motor Disorders Achalasia Scleroderma Hiatal Hernia Esophagitis Reflux Esophagitis Barrett Esophagus Eosinophilic Esophagitis Infective Esophagitis Chemical Esophagitis Esophagitis of Systemic Illness Iatrogenic Cancer of Esophagitis Esophageal Varices Lacerations and Perforations Neoplasm...

Ultrasound of the gastrointestinal tract

Stenting of the Gastrointestinal Tract

Key Points  As the majority of the gastrointestinal tract consists of luminal structures, strictures can develop that result in luminal obstruction.  Stenting is being utilized commonly in human medicine to recanalize structures that have been obstructed allowing for food passage or the passage of fluids such as bile and pancreatic secretions.  Stenting of gastrointestinal tract structures n...