The layers!! And the Jejunum, Duodenum, and Ileum.

The gastro-intestinal tract contains four main layers, the mucosa, the submucosa, muscularis and serosa. The innermost of these four layers is the mucosa, it is made of simple epithelium. The function of the epithelium lining is to be protective and/or able to absorb materials. The submucosa is made of dense irregular tissue containing blood vessels, and sometimes lymph nodes can be found at this layer, can be found between the mucosa and the muscularis. The muscularis itself has two layers, one is longitudinal (outer layer) and circular is the other.(inner layer) It consists of smooth muscle in most of the digestive tract.

The Duodenum, is the site where food breakdown occurs, while it passes through it. The duedenum is responsible for secreting hormones that trigger the pancreatic duct to release pancreatic juice and bile. It also helps protect the rest of the small intestine by neutralizing the chyme to some extent before it passes into the jejunum.

The Jejunum, it is part of the small intestine. It is located between the duodenum and the ileum. Containing great surface area, including folds, villi, and microvilli on top of the villi! Enzyme secretion and digestion , started in the stomach, continue here, with the absorption of glucose and amino acids begin.

The Ileum is located just before the Large intestine. Digestion is mostly completed before this point, but absorption into the blood continues here. It mainly absorbs B12 and bile salts.

I can relate this lesson to another family experience, my dad had to have some sort of surgery to stitch up a portion of his duodenum. I think it might of had something to Acid Reflux. I might be wrong, he also had to have something done to his esophagus.

digestionnn!

The digestive system is made up of what we call a tract! Going from your oral cavity all the way through the body exiting at the anal canal. The organs that make up the tract include; the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small+large intestine, colon, anus.. But these organs have a cool lining called the mucosa. The mucosa contains little teeny glands that make juice to help digest food, these glands can be found in the stomach, mouth, and small intestine. Also containing layers of smooth muscle helping to breakdown food and keeps it moving along. The top dogs, the liver and the pancreas also produce special juices that go to the intestines that reach them through ducts!

The gallbladder stores the liver's digestive juices until it's needed in the intestine. While I'm talking about the gallbladder, I am goign to tell a quick story. It must have been a month ago by now, but I was visiting a friend home from college. Her mother had just had surgery, and we were helping in anyway we could. Terri, Amy's mom sent us to the grocery store, picked up everything needed for dinner, she was so appreciative she invited me to stay for dinner. Amy and I prepared the meal, organic carrots, organic potatoes, leanist steak I have ever eaten, water for a beverage. I mean every bit I put into my body was healthy! About two hours after the delicious meal we had completed, I felt a severe pain in the middle of my chest..I had never felt this horrible sensation before. It was so bad I knew I needed to take a trip to the emergency room. Sitting anxiously in the waiting area for close to an hour in a half, I started to feel sick. Not from the pain, but an up set belly ache. I tried to say something to Amy, but before I could I lost my cookies. Feeling a little bit better, and the pain almost gone by the time the nurses got me into the ER, the signs and symptoms sound like a Gallbladder attack. And I needed to get an Ultrasound immediately, the results from the the US stated I had many little tiny stones blocking the ducts, causing the terrible pain I felt. Now I am scheduled for a removal of my gallbladder May 29. I'm quite scared, I am only 19 years old. The doctor says it should be an easy procedure, and I will most likely be able to go home later that day, depending on how I feel.

InFlAmMaTiOn!

What is painful, red, hot, and begins to swell? That is inflammation! Inflammtion occurs when tissues are injured by bacteria or viruses. The damaged tissue releases chemicals including histamine and kinins, these chemicals casue blood vessels to leak fluid into the tissues causing swelling.

The chemicals attract white blood cells called phagocytes that "eat" microorganisms (dead or damaged cells) These phagocytes will eventually die. ) Vasodilation and increased permeability of blood vessels. 2) Phagocytes go from teh bllod into the interstitial fluid 3) Tissue Repair.

The immune response is how your body recognizes and defends itseld against viruses and diseases that appear forgien and harmful to the body. Antigens are molecules on the surface of cells, viruses, and bacteria. The immune system recognizes and destroy the substances that contain these antigens. In my body, and yours, we have protiens in our antigens. Our immune system learns to read and recognize these special antigens as "normal".

My dad's mother, Nellie. Never exercised properly, smoke cigarettes, and always had troubles since Icould remember with her legs and ankles swelling. She didn't really have any lesions, but I suppose she could of without me even knowing. Does smoking and not exercise have to do with excess swelling? My guess is yes but I am not completely sure.

Circulatory System

As we learned in class, there is an average of 5 liters of blood circulating throughout our vody at all times. The heart, lungs, and blood vessels work as one. The heart forces the blood to begin it's journey though the body. The circulatory system has three different parts, pulmonary, coronary, and systemic circulation. Pulmonary=lungs, Coronary=heart, and the rest of the system=Systemic. Each part is needed in order for the entire bodies systems to work all together.

It transports nutrients, oxygen, and water to the body cells, carries away waste. Learning the heart beats about 3 billion times throughout a person's life. Also we learned how important it really is to exercise, eat healthy, and not to smoke. Exercising on a regular basis, keeps the body moving and allows the blood to pump constantly.

Did you know about half the blood is made of Plasma, I didn't until I read over in information. Plasma carries blood cells and other components throughout the body. It's also made in teh Liver.

It seems as if the Liver is a major organ, which no doubt it is. But, id reminds me of last summer when i woke up at 6 am to a horrible side pain. I couldn't breathe it was so intense! I arrived at the hospital to have the doctors load me up on pain meds, and some to find out, had a kidney stone..at the age of 18!! Isn't that a bit young??

Good ole Hormones!

Hormone's are the bodies chemical messangers! They travel through our wonderful bloodstream to organs as well as tissues. Mostly they work slowly over a perois of time, while doing many things such as, controling sexual function, mood, reproduction, growth and development, and last but not least the metabolism. (energy from foods we eat.)
Our magnificant endocrine glands make these special hormones. The big endocrine glands include the thymus, pituitary, adrenal, pineal, pancreas, and throid. Men are in the testes and the women are in the ovaries.

In the cell or even the entire body, hormones use just a tiny amount while the changes are HUGE, meaning too much or even too little in these changes throughout the body can be considered life threatening and quite serious. The two main types are steroid and proteins. Proteins are hydrophilic, they bind to receptors on the surface of a target cell. While the steroid's are hydrophobic, these serve as receptors.

We can't forget that hormones begin to regulate homeostasis.

I can remember back in the 6th or 7th grade, when the hormones were going crazy! Never knowing what to expect. If it was going to be a good day, or one of those dreadful bad..down in the dumps' day. Thank goodness these hormones took bit of a vacation for a while..or I should say, the hormones are under control.

Practice of our last essay question.

2nd messanger Systems.
Hormones are stopped at cell membranes (plasma) needs message passed. In order to generate a cytoplasmic molecular messanger, protein activates a target protein. The cAMP is a collection of protiens associated with innerface has a bilayer and a cell membrane. It is in close contact with a receptor molecule.

Contains three sublayers and Alfa subunit, Beta, and Gamma. The change in G protiens, as they bind to receptors, causes a shape change (in the receptor) The alfa subunit is then released. Against the membrane makes contact with gaint enzyme. (protien to protien) Causing emzymes to change shape, scooping up ATP and rips off. Leaving a monophosphate, is released into cytoplasm.

I was extremely glad, I thought I needed an little extra help to understand this topic. The more I write this down the better I seem to understand it.

Eye, the good ole eye!

Different parts and peices of the eye!
Cornea-the clear portion of the eye, it's dome shaped. No blood vessels in the eye, it is normally clear and has a shiny surface. The cornea is extremely sensitive - there are more nerve endings in the cornea than anywhere else in the body. The sclera-is the mainly white part. Six tiny muscles connect to it around the eye and control the eye's movements. When you get older, the white starts to turn yellow in color. The retina is a multi-layered sensory tissue that lines the back of the eye.

Parasympathetic involves the cranial nerve number 3, they contract all at once. The sympathetic uses norepinephrin as the diameter increases.

The best way to taake car of your eyes, are to make annual eye appointments. I beleive its about every 6 monthes or once a year. Depends on your condition. When i was in the 8th grade it was my first time getting advised to get glasses, so I could be able to see better. At first I thought i was really dorky, "four eyes" I didn't want to get made fun of...but they just help people to see, as I grew older people stopped making fun of others who needed to wear them. =]