H92C 35: Human Body Structure and Function – Self-Assessment Answer Paper

Self Assessment Answers Outcome 5

1. Name the four types of cells in a gastric gland.
Zymogenic (peptic) cells
Parietal (oxyntic) cells
Mucus (goblet) cells
Enteroendocrine cells
2. Which cell type secretes HCl?
Parietal cells
3. Why is an acidic pH vital in the stomach?
To activate the enzyme pepsin (pepsinogen  pepsin) and to help kill
microorganisms which may be harmful to humans
4. In some types of anaemia parietal cells are destroyed by the immune system,
what effect will this have on the uptake of vitamin B 12?
Stop or slow it down, the parietal cells produce intrinsic factor which is required for
B12 uptake in the ileum. Without it, the Vit B12 in food cannot be absorbed into the
bloodstream, which means there will be no B12 to create new RBC in the bone
marrow.
5. Which cell type produces mucus in the stomach? and what is the purpose of the
mucus?
Goblet cells produce mucus. The purpose of the mucus lines the stomach wall
and protects the cells from damage and digestion.
6. Which cell type produces pepsinogen in the stomach? and what happens to
pepsinogen once it mixes with the HCl?
Zymogenic (chief) cells produce pepsinogen, which is the inactive form of pepsin
(an enzyme which breaks down proteins into amino acids).
Once it mixes with the HCl, the pepsinogen is changed into pepsin, which then
begins to digest protein in food.
7. Which cell type produces gastrin in the stomach? Describe what type of molecule
gastrin is, and describe all its functions in the control of digestion.
Enteroendocrine cells produce gastrin. Gastrin is a hormone. Gastrin:
i) Stimulates gastric acid secretion
ii) Stimulates gastric motility
iii) Contracts the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES)
iv) Relaxes the pyloric sphincter
v) Relaxes ileocecal sphincter (the sphincter between the end of the small
intestine [ileum] and the start of the large intestine [colon]

(c) SCBC and SQA 2006. 1

H92C 35: Human Body Structure and Function – Self-Assessment Answer Paper
8. There are 3 other hormones that help control digestion, and which are released by
cells lining the small intestine when chyme rich in fatty acids and amino acids
enter the small intestine from the stomach.
Identify each hormone from the description of its functions:
CCK stimulates digestive enzyme-rich secretions from the pancreas, and
inhibits gastric juice release and gastric motility. It also stimulates the contraction
of the gall bladder.
Secretin stimulates bicarbonate-rich secretions from the pancreas to neutralise
the chyme, and inhibits gastric juice release and gastric motility.
GIP helps with insulin release following a carbohydrate-rich meal.
9. Name the organ that makes bile salts and the organ that sores the bile salts.
Makes bile salts= Liver
Stores bile salts until needed = gall bladder
10. Describe how bile makes the digestion of fat more efficient
Bile emulsifies fat globules to allow them to mix with water as tiny fat globules.
This increases the surface area of the fat in the food, which provides a larger
surface area for the enzyme lipase to act on. Lipase is therefore able to digest the
triglycerides and break them down into glycerol and fatty acids more efficiently.
11. How do the villi of the small intestine mucosal layer help with nutrient absorption?
The finger-like projections of the mucosal layer, called “villi”, increase the surface
area of the small intestine lumen which enables faster absorption of the nutrients.
Inside each villus there are capillaries for direct absorption of water soluble
nutrients such as glucose, amino acids and ions. There is also a lacteal for the
absorption of fatty acids into the lymphatic system.
12. Name the structures inside the villi of the small intestine which transport products
of fat digestion.
Lacteals (which come together to form larger lymphatic system vessels)
13. What type of epithelial cells line the small intestine?
Columnar epithelial cells with microvilli
14. What specialisations do they have?
Microvilli – brush border. The microvilli are tiny finger-like folds of the cell
membrane of each columnar epithelial cell to increase the surface area available
for absorption.

(c) SCBC and SQA 2006. 2

H92C 35: Human Body Structure and Function – Self-Assessment Answer Paper

15. What is the purpose of segmentation?

To bring chyme into contact with the intestinal wall and mix it with the intestinal
juices which contain the digestive enzymes. Once mixed, the enzymes are able to
break down the large nutrient molecules (lipids, starches, proteins) more efficiently.
Then the greater contact with the intestinal wall, means that the breakdown
products (fatty acids and glycerol; monosaccharides, esp glucose; and amino acids) can
diffuse across the intestinal wall into the blood stream more efficiently.
16. Which movement of the gut is unique to the large intestine?
Haustral churning
17. Does any digestion take place in the large intestine?
Very little and that is carried out by gut bacteria.
18. How long is small intestine?
21 feet long.
19. Name the 3 parts of the small intestine.
Duodenum, jejunum, ileum
20. What is the hepatopanceatic ampulla?
Where pancreatic juice enters the duodenum.
21. Why is the liver so important in protein metabolism?
Deaminates (removes the amine groups of amino acids) if there are excess
amounts of amino acids. This produces urea to disposed of by the kidneys, and
leaves the rest of the amino acid molecules, to be utilised in the respiration
pathway, or to be stored as fat in adipose tissue. AND the liver:
Transaminates which converts excess of one type of amino acid into another to
create amino acids needed for protein synthesis.
22. Gluconeogenesis also happens in the liver. What is gluconeogenesis?
Conversion of amino acids to glucose to be used an energy substrate in
respiration..
23. Glycogenolysis also happens in the liver. What is glycogenolysis?
Break down of Glycogen into glucose (which is then released into the blood
stream). It is a process triggered primarily by the hormones glucagon and
adrenaline, but also by Growth Hormone and by exercise.
24. What name is given to the opposite process to Q23, which occurs in liver cells?
Glycogenesis (the making of glycogen from glucose)

(c) SCBC and SQA 2006. 3

H92C 35: Human Body Structure and Function – Self-Assessment Answer Paper

25. Which blood vessel delivers the products of digestion to the liver from the
intestines for the above metabolism (changing forms) of carbohydrates and
proteins to occur?
Hepatic Portal Vein.
26. Describe what triggers and what occurs during the Cephalic phase of digestion.
Cephalic phase of digestion is the first phase. It is triggered by the sight, smell,
thought, or taste of food. This results in the stimulation of the salivary glands, the
cells of the stomach to produce gastric acid secretions, and increased gastric
motility in preparation for the arrival of food.
27. Is digestion stimulated by an increase in parasympathetic or sympathetic nervous
system impulses?
Parasympathetic (Hint: rest and digest response)
28. Describe the enterogastric reflex.
The enterogastric reflex inhibits parasympathetic stimulation and stimulates
sympathetic impulses, in order to delay the emptying of the acidic chyme from the
stomach.
29. What is its function?
To slow down the movement of chyme. The delay the emptying of the acidic
chyme from the stomach is important because it means that the pancreatic juices
only have to neutralise a small amount of chyme at a time.
Without this delay, too much acid in the start of the small intestine would damage
the cells there.

(c) SCBC and SQA 2006. 4